Alexander Wood (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)
ATLANTA - A violent repeat offender accused of opening fire on a homeless camp near the intersection of Forsyth and Peachtree streets pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday to illegal possession of a firearm.
What we know:
Alexander Wood, a 43-year-old multi-convicted felon from Atlanta, pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday to illegal possession of a firearm following an alleged shooting at a downtown homeless encampment.
Federal prosecutors say Wood drove to a downtown Atlanta homeless encampment on Oct. 10, 2025, and fired a gun. When an Atlanta Police Department officer arrived, Wood ran in a high-speed chase and tried to ram the pursuing police car.
Officers arrested Wood at an apartment shortly after the chase. Police found a Smith & Wesson handgun hidden under bushes near the entrance, and surveillance footage showed Wood running through the area moments earlier.
On Thursday, Wood pled not guilty to a federal charge of illegal firearm possession by a prohibited person. He has a 20-year history of felony convictions in state court, including burglary, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and armed robbery.
What we don't know:
While Wood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison if convicted of the federal charge, authorities have not announced when his trial will begin.
Officials have also not confirmed a specific motive behind the shooting at the encampment.
The backstory:
In April, Wood pleaded guilty in Fulton County Superior Court to running from police and several misdemeanors stemming from the October 2025 incident. He was sentenced to only one year in prison with credit for time served.
He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is being held without bail because of the federal indictment. Federal officials noted there is no opportunity for parole in the federal system.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, FBI Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham, and Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, who explained how local and federal authorities investigated the incident and filed federal charges. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.