'Dispute' Over Seats Leads To Shooting At Movie Theater, Atlanta Police Say

Atlanta law enforcement officials are investigating a shooting that apparently stemmed from a “dispute… about seat assignments” at a local movie theater.

Officers responded to a call at the AMC Theatre at 3500 Peachtree Rd NE around 10:45 p.m. on Monday (December 20). That’s where they found the victim with a gunshot wound. Preliminary information shows that the alleged shooter, who fled the scene before police arrived, is still at large as of publication time on Tuesday morning (December 21). The victim is in stable condition at a local hospital. Officers told CBS 46 that the dispute happened during a showing of Spider-Man: No Way Home at the AMC Phipps Plaza 14 movie theater in Buckhead.

The Atlanta Police Department states:

“The preliminary investigation found that the victim was involved in a dispute with the suspect about seat assignments in the theater. During the argument the suspect shot the victim. The suspect fled the scene, and the victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition. The investigation is continuing.”

ATL Scoop posted about the incident on its Instagram account, along with a video from the movie theater hallway that shows crime scene tape and several police officers at the scene. The Instagram post on Tuesday reads in part: “According to officers, the gunman was angry about where the victim was sitting in the theater. An argument between the two men got heated, and the gunman opened fire... Investigators are still searching for the gunman.”