A man was arrested after a shooting Saturday afternoon inside a Target on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road that evacuated the store, Gwinnett County police said.
Investigators believe the suspect, identified Monday as 30-year-old Elijah Mitchell, knew the 27-year-old victim, and the two men argued before the shot was fired. The victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, according to police spokesperson Officer Angela Carter.
Speaking from the crime scene near Lawrenceville, Carter said police arrived at the store at about 1:25 p.m. and found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound. He was then taken to a hospital.
No other injuries were reported, Carter said. The store remained closed for the rest of the day while investigators collected evidence.
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In a statement obtained by Channel 2 Action News, Target said the store was immediately evacuated after the shooting.
“We can confirm that all other guests and team members are safe, and our thoughts are with the victim and his family,” a representative for the company said in the statement.
“Target will provide law enforcement with any information needed for their investigation, and we’ll defer additional questions to them at this time,” the representative said.
On Monday, police announced charges of aggravated assault, reckless conduct and third-degree cruelty to children. The relationship between Mitchell and the victim was not disclosed, and it was not clear what prompted the argument.
He was being held at the Gwinnett jail. His bond was denied on the aggravated assault charge.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwinnett detectives at 770-513-5300. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
