Georgia Teens Arrested In Connection To Weekend Shooting At Cumberland Mall

Source: (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images) / (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)

Two Georgia Teens Arrested In Connection To Weekend Shooting At Cumberland Mall

Two teenagers are under arrest after authorities say they were connected to a mall shooting. Over the weekend panic ensued at Cobb County’s Cumberland mall about 14 miles north of downtown Atlanta after shots rang out in the food court. One man was wounded in the melee.

The Associated Press reports that the Cobb County Police Department used surveillance footage and interviews to identify the suspects as 18-year-old Zaire Dhanoolal and 19-year-old Joweer Ponce, both from Marietta. Dhanoolal was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, while Ponce was charged with reckless conduct and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

Both suspects were taken to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

The shooting was originally reported as an “active shooter” situation but authorities later said that shots rang out as part of a verbal dispute described as a fight that “got out of control.”

Two other young men have been identified as part of the altercation. 18-year-old Ethan Green was shot in the neck and shoulder area and was taken to the hospital for treatment of “non-life threatening injuries.” The Cobb County Police Department said 21-year-old Anthony Ezell wasn’t injured during the shooting but was considered a victim of aggravated assault because a weapon was pointed at him before Green was shot.

While it’s unfortunate that the incident transpired, at least this time this wasn’t an active shooter situation.