Shooting at Buckhead apartments leaves man in critical condition

Buckhead apartment shooting update

Atlanta police are searching for a gunman who fled on foot after an afternoon shooting at a north-east Atlanta apartment complex left a man in critical condition. FOX 5's Annie Mapp has the story

ATLANTA - Atlanta police are searching for a gunman who fled on foot after an afternoon shooting at a north-east Atlanta apartment complex left a man in critical condition.

What we know:

Atlanta Police Department officers responded to the Lenox Place Apartments at approximately 1 p.m. on Saturday following reports of gunfire. Investigators spent several hours at the complex working to determine what triggered the shooting and who was responsible.

The victim, identified as a 22-year-old Black man, was critically injured in the shooting. Emergency crews rushed him to a local hospital, where he was taken into surgery.

What they're saying:

While processing the scene, detectives uncovered critical evidence linked to the shooting. APD Captain Germaine Dearlove told FOX 5's Annie Mapp that drugs were found scattered around the immediate area.

"We did recover some narcotics from in and around the incident location," Capt. Dearlove said.

Based on the initial findings, Dearlove stated that the shooting appears to be a targeted, narcotics-related incident rather than a random act of violence.

People who live at the complex say hearing gunfire is uncommon. Many stood on their balconies as investigators worked to put the pieces together.

"It was all very horrible. It's mainly Hispanic people that live at these apartments and we never have any issues and to see this type of situation is honestly very scary," one resident said.

What's next:

According to police, the unidentified suspect fled the apartment complex on foot immediately after the shots were fired.

While authorities have not yet released a physical description of the shooter, officers are canvassing the neighborhood to speak with potential witnesses and are actively reviewing surveillance footage from around the complex. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact the Atlanta Police Department immediately.