On July 29, 1999, a shooting spree occurred at two Atlanta-area day trading firms, Momentum Securities and the All-Tech Investment Group. Nine people were killed, and 13 other people were injured. The gunman, identified as 44-year-old former day trader Mark Orrin Barton, later committed suicide before he could be apprehended by police.

Police searching Barton's home in nearby Stockbridge found the bodies of his second wife and the two children from his first marriage, murdered by hammer blows inflicted before the shooting spree started. Barton was believed to be motivated by large financial losses incurred during the previous two months. He shot and killed four people and attempted to execute Brad Schoemehl, who was shot three times at point-blank range. Barton then walked to the nearby All-Tech Investment Group building, where he lured Brent Doonan and Scott Manspeaker, his former bosses, into a private room with assistant Kathy Camp, telling them "I've got something you're going to want to see." He opened fire, wounding all three, with Doonan being shot five times and Camp being left blind. He then left the private room and murdered an additional five victims. Barton left the scene before police could arrive. He had fired a combined total of 39 shots at the two locations. The police searched his house and found the bodies of his family and the notes that he had left with them, in which Barton vehemently denied responsibility for the deaths of his first wife and mother-in-law. Responding police officers spotted Barton in his minivan and a chase ensued, culminating at a gas station in Acworth, Georgia.

Perpetrator

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Mark Orrin Barton (April 2, 1955 – July 29, 1999) was born in Stockbridge, Georgia, to an Air Force family and was raised in South Carolina. He attended Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. Back in Atlanta, Barton married Debra Spivey, with whom he had two children.

Barton's family moved to Alabama as his employer required him there. Barton grew paranoid and started distrusting his wife. He lost his employment after his performance plummeted. He was also caught sabotaging data of the company that had fired him and served a short jail term for this retaliatory act. Barton found a new employer in Georgia and a mistress in one of his wife's acquaintances, with whom he had an affair. On September 5, 1993, Spivey and her mother Eloise were killed by bludgeoning. Barton was the prime suspect in the double homicide, but he was not charged due to a lack of evidence.

Barton had received a $294,000 insurance settlement from his first wife's death and used the funds to finance his day trading career, preferring high-risk Internet-related stocks. He married Vandiver, his former mistress, in 1995. His mental health continued to deteriorate, however, and he began to suffer from both severe depression and paranoid delusions.

  • Leigh Ann Vandiver Barton, 27, wife of Mark Barton
  • Matthew David Barton, 11, son of Mark Barton
  • Mychelle Elizabeth Barton, 8, daughter of Mark Barton
  • Allen Charles Tenenbaum, 48, day trader at All-Tech Investment Group
  • Dean Delawalla, 52, day trader at All-Tech Investment Group
  • Joseph J. Dessert, 60, day trader at All-Tech Investment Group
  • Jamshid Havash, 45, day trader at All-Tech Investment Group
  • Vadewattee Muralidhara, 44, a computer course student at All-Tech Investment Group
  • Edward Quinn, 58, day trader at Momentum Securities
  • Kevin Dial, 36,