Witness: Federal officer in shootout in downtown Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — Witnesses say a federal officer and another man engaged in a shootout in downtown Atlanta on Friday and one of them was taken away by ambulance, but federal officials haven’t explained what happened.

The gunfire was unleashed just after 3 p.m. on the Ted Turner Drive bridge, near the Richard Russell federal courthouse, State Farm Arena and CNN Center.

The Atlanta Police Department said at least one person was shot, but referred inquiries to federal officials, who provided no more information. The FBI told WAGA-TV there was no immediate danger to public, but didn’t say if anyone was arrested.

Witness Ben Ivey told WSB-TV that he saw a Federal Protective Service officer who appeared to be trying to stop another man. The officer got out of a vehicle with an assault rifle, Ivey said, but the man being pursued kept walking away. The officer put away the assault rifle and chased on foot, Ivey said.

The two then exchanged as many as 30 shots, Ivey said. Both men were still standing after the shooting, and one of the men was eventually taken away by ambulance, he said. More than 15 police cars responded and officers blocked off the viaduct for hours.