The suspect in a shooting that left a Cobb County hotel employee’s face disfigured earlier this week is accused of breaking into multiple Teslas before stealing one of them a few hours later, according to court records.
Gary Elliott, 26, of Acworth, faces several charges, including aggravated assault and battery, burglary, felony theft and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to online jail records. Authorities said he shot an employee of the Quality Inn along Cobb Place Boulevard twice with a shotgun at close range around 2 a.m. Monday.
While police said the 48-year-old victim is expected to survive after being rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, the bullets “did cause disfigurement to (the victim’s) face,” according to a warrant for Elliott’s arrest. Officials have not said what sparked the shooting.
After the incident, around 5:45 a.m., Elliott allegedly went to a Tesla dealership, about a mile west on Barrett Parkway, and used a large rock to break into the business, the warrant states. He then broke into multiple vehicles while trying to pry the VIN numbers off them and took a pair of designer sunglasses, a tactical knife and golf balls from one car, investigators noted.
Elliott drove away in a 2023 Model Y, according to the warrant. When he saw police around 8 a.m., he led officers on a pursuit on Barrett Lakes Boulevard, which extends north toward Chastain Road, reaching speeds of more than 75 mph on the 35-mph road, authorities said.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
It’s not clear how or at what point Elliott returned to the Quality Inn, but police said he was located in his second-floor room around 10 a.m. after a concerned citizen reported a suspicious person. They did not clarify what caused the citizen to be suspicious.
Shortly before Elliott was apprehended, police saturated the busy area near the hotel with officers armed with long guns. Drones and a K-9 unit were also used in the manhunt.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department’s major crimes unit at 770-499-4111.
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