Military investigates shooting at Army post south of Atlanta; suspect in custody

Military investigates shooting at Ga. Army post

FOREST PARK, Ga. — An Army reservist was shot to death and another was in custody Thursday at a post south of Atlanta that is a gathering place for area reserve units.

Army spokesman Col. Dan Baggio said the victim died at the U.S. Army Reserve Center located on Fort Gillem. He could not offer specifics about the shooting that happened between 4:30 and 5 p.m.

Authorities said they were withholding the names of the soldiers until they can notify family members, but did say both were men.

Authorities have not determined a motive and it’s unclear what the relationship was between the two men. Nobody else was injured.

Peter Chadwick, a spokesman for Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson, said it’s unclear whether anybody else was inside a building when the shooting happened or whether any civilians were involved.

Fort Gillem, established in 1943, is one of three Georgia military bases slated to shut down under a sweeping round of base closures decided in 2005. Along with nearby Fort McPherson and Naval Air Station-Atlanta, the 1,427-acre Army post is scheduled to close next year.

The post includes the headquarters for the U.S. Army Recruiting Brigade and 1st U.S. Army, which does reserve and National Guard training east of the Mississippi. It also includes the U.S. Army and Air Force Exchange Distribution Region and the only Criminal Investigation Division laboratory in the world.

Chadwick said the reserve center is located on Fort Gillem, but does not share the same command.

Thursday’s shooting followed a bizarre arrest at Fort Gordon Tuesday. A former national guardsman was caught on the east Georgia base with a land mine, several grenades and night vision devices, authorities said.

Anthony Todd Saxon, 34, was charged with impersonating an Army master sergeant and stealing the infrared laser targeting sight.

It remains unclear what Saxon planned to do with the devices.

Associated Press Writer Dionne Walker in Atlanta contributed to this report.