Bullet from Athens shopping center shootout nearly strikes store employee

Officers investigate a shootout in the parking lot of 130 Alps Road on Friday

By Joe Johnson

A shootout Friday evening in the parking lot of a shopping center in West Athens reportedly shattered the glass entrance door of Palm Beach Tan, 130 Alps Road, with the bullet just passing over the head of an employee.

No one in the tanning salon or anywhere else in the shopping center was injured, according to interim Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters.

"The information I received was this was between two people known to each other and we have identified the offender," Saulters said at about 10 p.m.. "Officers are currently looking for him."

No one in the salon had been targeted by the shooter, the police chief said.