Cobb Police arrested a suspect in the beating of an elderly man in East Cobb on Wednesday.

A spokesman says officers responded to the report of someone possibly hit by a vehicle in the 3000 block of Sandy Plains Road. They found a 77-year-old man bleeding from the head on a sidewalk.

That man told authorities he returned home and found a 29-year-oldMarietta man in his bedroom without permission. He said the suspect hit him several times in the head with a piece of wood. The victim fled to the sidewalk where he told arriving officers he’d seen the suspect go back into his residence.

Police established a perimeter and unsuccessfully tried to make contact with anyone inside, but got no response. They later entered the home after getting a search warrant and found it empty.

Law officers identified the suspect’s vehicle through license plate reader cameras and got a warrant for aggravated assault, with the possibility of additional charges being tacked on later.

The suspect was arrested driving on Shallowford Road at around 2:15a.m. and authorities say they took him into custody without incident.

The case was notable because Cobb Police say rumors had quickly spread on social media after the 4:30 p.m. incident saying a shooting had happened instead, spreading fear and wrong information.

There’s no word on a motive. Anyone with information about the case is being asked to call 770-499-3945.forthe Cobb PD Major Crimes Unit.