CAU police wound off-campus gunman

Clark Atlanta University police officers shot an armed suspect during a confrontation Wednesday afternoon about three blocks from the campus entrance.

The gunfire lasted a “good 10 seconds,” said Larry Smith, 40, who witnessed the incident. Police subsequently confirmed more than 22 rounds were fired during the exchange.

The Clark officers responded to a call of suspicious activity on Parsons Street around 2 p.m., said university spokeswoman Jennifer Jiles. The shooting occurred within the jurisdiction of the CAU police, she said.

When they arrived, the officers spotted two unidentified men brandishing guns. Told to drop their weapons, only one complied; the other fired at the officers, who returned in kind, Jiles said.

The suspect was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition while the other was detained for questioning. Neither of the Clark officers were injured.

Both have been placed on paid leave while the Atlanta Police Department investigates the shooting, Jiles said.