ATLANTA, Ga. — Two sisters were hospitalized late Sunday after a man who had earlier assaulted their father opened fire on them near a BP gas station in downtown Atlanta.

The violence began when a tow truck driver attempted to tow an SUV from the BP station at John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Piedmont Avenue. The driver of the SUV became enraged, starting a heated argument that turned physical. The suspect allegedly slammed the tow truck operator to the ground before fleeing north on John Wesley Dobbs, according to CBS News Atlanta.

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About half a block away, the man confronted the tow truck driver’s daughters — who work at the gas station — in a nearby church parking lot behind the EZ Market. He pulled out a gun and shot both women before running off, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. The sisters were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital’s Adamsville Critical Bay and are expected to recover. Their father did not require hospitalization.

Multiple Georgia State University students heard the gunfire and described chaos as people scattered for safety. One student, Kevaughan Hickman, said he initially thought the sounds were backfiring cars until the shots became rapid and continuous. Another student, Christian Leguerre, recalled a “flurry of shots” that startled residents of The Mix Apartments. Witnesses told reporters the suspect was wearing a red hoodie and appeared to be limping as he fled.

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Detectives are now reviewing surveillance footage from the gas station and examining the SUV involved in the dispute as they work to identify the gunman. No detailed suspect description has been released, and police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

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