Crime & Safety

Church Shooting Suspect Arrested at Lenox Square

Police arrested 52-year-old Floyd Palmer in connection with the shooting death of a World Changers Church prayer leader.

Atlanta Police arrested the "armed and dangerous" male suspect in a Wednesday morning shooting at World Changers Church in College Grove that left one man dead.

According to the U.S. Marshall Service, police arrested 52-year-old Floyd Palmer, just before 4 p.m. at Lenox Square. Palmer had been on the run since the fatal shooting of Greg McDowell, 39, around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Palmer entered and left the church in a calm manner before leaving the scene in a black Subaru station wagon, said Fulton County police spokeswoman Cpl. Kay Lester. Police are not yet sure if McDowell was targeted or shot randomly.

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McDowell of Union City was a prayer leader and member of the church. He was shot while leading a prayer meeting. He later died.

World Changers stated that Palmer was once an employee of the church, but resigned in August.

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World Changers founding pastor Creflo Dollar was not present at the time of the shooting.

Nearly 25 people were gathered at the morning service when the shooting occurred, and both witnesses and security camera footage helped police identify the suspect.

According to an AJC article, "Fulton County Police asked the school district to lock down Bethune Elementary School and McNair Middle, according to schools spokeswoman Susan Hale. She said the lock-down was lifted around 11 a.m."

Buckhead Patch will continue to provide coverage of this incident.

Cascade Patch Editor Marc Richardson contributed to this report.


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