Georgia police say man shot and killed armed thug trying to rob him in parking garage: 'I just had to shoot somebody'

A Georgia man told police that he thwarted an attempted armed robbery after pulling his own gun and shooting the thug who allegedly threatened him.

Hapeville police released a panicked 911 call from the victim after the shooting at the Atlantic Aerotropolis on S. Fulton Ave. on April 15 at about 9:30 a.m.

“Hey, I just had to shoot somebody in the top floor of the parking deck,” said the man on the emergency call obtained by WSB-TV.

The man said he was walking from the apartments to his car when he was confronted by the armed man.

“His car was parked next to mine. He got out of the car, said, ‘Hey bro! Don’t move!’ [and] pointed a gun at me. I pulled my gun, and I shot,” he added.

After he shot him, he noticed there was another man in the passenger seat of the suspect’s car. The victim ran into his apartment and called police to tell them about the incident.

While he was worried that the second man might follow him into the apartment, police say the second suspect ran away from the scene.

Witnesses said they saw the man run toward a nearby church. Police later identified the suspect as Alton Coleman and arrested him after seeing him allegedly urinating in public at the church.

Coleman was charged with murder and aggravated assault, and records show he has a lengthy criminal history. The man who was shot and killed was identified as 39-year-old Lando Carter.

WSB was also able to confirm that Carter had been released from prison only a year prior to the robbery and his death. He had served a 15-year sentence for interference with commerce by threats or violence and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.

The victim did not want to speak to WSB about the incident.

Hapeville is a city of about 6,500 people located in the northwest part of the state.