A 70-year-old man accused of shooting at buildings and SWAT officers from a balcony at the Four Seasons hotel and condos in Midtown has been granted a $101,000 bond.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fulton County Magistrate Court Judge Brand Brooks on Tuesday granted the bond to Jay Berger, who had been held at the Fulton County Jail since the Oct. 29 incident.
Berger, an ophthalmologist, was suffering from a mental health crisis during the hours-long standoff with police, according to his attorney Stuart Mones.
Berger allegedly flooded his condo at the Four Seasons and then shot at officers through the walls who responded to the scene. He later moved to the balcony, where he threw furniture and other objects over the railing, and fired multiple weapons toward the street and surrounding buildings.
Berger faces 11 felony counts, including four counts of aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer. He was taken into custody after being shot in the face by a SWAT sniper.
The prosecution was opposed to the granting of bond, arguing that Berger was not suffering a mental health crisis but had instead engaged in reckless behavior.
“An APD sniper shot him in the head, but that didn’t stop him,” the prosecution said. “This was not an aberration. This was a crime spree. This was dangerous behavior. No one died, through the grace of God, but the defendant has shown he is dangerous and aggressive.”
As part of the bond conditions, Berger must visit a mental health provider, wear an ankle monitor, and may not return to the Four Seasons except to collect his belongings. He is also barred from possessing any kind of firearms.