Motel Shooter Sentenced to Prison

Press Release

ATLANTA - Marcus Thomas, a previously convicted felon, has been sentenced to federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition.

"Thomas was released from state prison only a few days before he illegally obtained a firearm and indiscriminately shot through a motel window, endangering the lives of others within the community," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, violent repeat offenders like Thomas who risk the lives of others, will be brought to justice to face the consequences of their actions."

"Thomas is a dangerous felon who resumed his criminal activity shortly after being released from prison," said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything possible to ensure criminals are brought to justice."

"The reckless and dangerous actions of Marcus Thomas put innocent lives at risk, and this case exemplifies the Atlanta Police Department's unwavering commitment to working with our federal partners to remove violent offenders from our streets," said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On July 1, 2022, Atlanta Police Department (APD) officers responded to a report of shots fired at a Travel Inn located on Forest Hills Drive in Atlanta, Georgia. Two witnesses at the location informed APD officers that they saw an individual-later identified as Marcus Thomas-with a firearm outside his motel room. The witnesses said that they saw Thomas enter his room and then heard gunshots coming from his vicinity.

As APD officers approached the room, they observed damage to the window consistent with gunshots. Thomas was ordered out of the room and was detained. APD officers then searched the room and found a firearm magazine and multiple rounds of ammunition on the floor of the bathroom, as well as shell casings from spent ammunition on the floor near one of the beds in the room. A few days later, APD officers recovered the firearm used in the shooting, which was hidden inside a fitted sheet tucked into the mattress of one of the beds in the room.

FBI special agents investigated the shooting and discovered that Thomas recently served a sentence for aggravated assault and was released from prison four days prior to the shooting. Thomas was also previously convicted of multiple other felonies, including terroristic threats, possession of cocaine, and theft by receiving stolen property.

Marcus Thomas, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty to three years, one month in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Thomas was convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, after he pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Atlanta Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Thomas M. Forsyth, III prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Updated January 6, 2025