Acworth man arrested for shooting hotel clerk in the face and stealing Tesla

An Acworth man, Gary Jahmel Elliott, is in custody after being accused of a shocking incident that occurred early Monday morning.

Police say Elliott shot an overnight hotel clerk in the face during an early Monday morning attack.

The police warrant says Elliott, 28, shot Marche Clark, 48, with a shotgun at close range around 2 a.m. at the hotel on Cobb Place Boulevard, leaving Clark’s face disfigured by the blasts.

Despite the severity of the injuries, the hotel clerk was able to call 911 to report that they had been shot multiple times. Police responded to the scene and treated the victim before they were transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. Cobb Police spokesperson Officer Aaron Wilson said the victim was “expected to recover.”

As police attempted to locate the suspect, law enforcement deployed dogs, long guns, and drones to search the area, but were unable to apprehend Elliott.

Hours later, and less than a mile from the hotel, Elliott is alleged to have broken into a Tesla dealership and several cars before stealing one. Around 5:45 a.m., he shattered the dealership’s glass window, situated west of the hotel on Barrett Parkway.

He proceeded to damage multiple cars and stole various items from one, including sunglasses, a tactical knife, and golf balls. Elliott then made off with a black 2023 Tesla Model Y, eluding police after a brief chase where he reached speeds of up to 75 mph in a 35-mph zone on Barrett Lakes Boulevard.

A concerned citizen’s report about a suspicious individual at the Quality Inn Hotel led police officers to Elliott’s room at around 10 a.m., where he was subsequently arrested. It was revealed that Elliott had been staying at the Quality Inn where the initial shooting occurred.

Two arrest warrants have been issued against Elliott. The first warrant charges him with aggravated battery, aggravated assault with intent to murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the shooting.

The second warrant pertains to the break-in at the Tesla dealership, where Elliott faces charges of burglary, theft, three counts of criminal damage, entering an automobile with the intent to steal it, fleeing, or attempting to elude capture, driving with a suspended license, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Elliott is being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond.