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Despite spike in recent arrests, Atlanta police express frustration over repeat offenders
Atlanta police say they have been able to close a lot of cases by making arrests, but say many of those are repeat offenders and leading to frustration by officers at the overall justice system.
ATLANTA - Atlanta police are touting the success of an operation targeting wanted fugitives throughout the city.
At a press conference Thursday, Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant and Mayor Andre Dickens called the arrests as part of an operation around Spring Break targeting fugitives and ended up with the arrests of 57 fugitives - a dozen of whom had been charged with murder.
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APD announce significant arrests in fugitive operation
Atlanta police announced they have arrested over 50 people in an operation targeting fugitive suspects around the city.
On April 6 alone, officials say they collaborated with multiple metro Atlanta agencies to arrest 13 suspects. The arrested fugitive suspects collectively had been arrested more than 365 times. In one case, a suspect was arrested over 35 times.
"This just has to stop," Dickens said. "We hope that the arrests you hear about today will be indeed the last time these individuals will be arrested."
In total, officers charged 31 fugitives with aggravated assault, 12 for murder, four with cruelty to children, one with child molestation, one with homicide by vehicle, and one with theft by stolen auto suspects were wanted for murder,
As part of this operation, investigators arrested suspects high-profile cases including in the murder of a cyclist on the Atlanta BeltLine and the deadly shooting at the Atlanta Fair.
Atlanta police were
Atlanta BeltLine murder suspects
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Avid Atlanta BeltLine users react to news of cyclist's murder
The accused gunman in the case was denied bond on Monday. Atlanta BeltLine enthusiasts were uneasy about the news that Thomas Arnold's body was found there, shot, in February.
The body of Thomas Arnold was found around the morning of Feb. 26 near Elizabeth Street and Bernina Avenue by joggers in the area. Police said he had been shot.
In surveillance footage released on March 10, Atlanta police say Brandon Williams, Demetrice Ross, and a third suspect were seen pulling on door handles, entering vehicles and rummaging through cars.
The second clip showed the three suspects making a right on North Highland Avenue and enter the Atlanta BeltLine.
Investigators said the video then shows the trio following a woman and making unwanted advances, following her aggressively.
After tips from the community, officers arrested Williams after tracking him down to a hotel near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Investigators believe that Williams was the one who pulled the trigger, killing the 60-year-old avid cyclist.
"We know that Brandon Williams is our shooter, the involvement of the other people would be part of the investigation," Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said.
The convicted felon is now charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, and other charges.
On March 16, police announced the arrest of Ross, who officials say was caught by fugitive unit in Morrow.
Ross faces a charge of felony murder and is currently in Fulton County jail.
Atlanta Fair shooting
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Arrests made in shooting that killed 16-year-old
Atlanta police made three arrests in connection the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy near the Atlanta Fair.
On March 5, 16-year-old Creekside High School student Joshua Adetunji was killed and a 14-year-old and 19-year-old were injured in a shooting near the Atlanta Fair.
That night, police responded to reports of a shooting near the intersection of Pryor Street and Bass Street and found the three victims.
Witnesses say the shooting was the end result of a massive fight among more than a hundred kids outside the fair.
Atlanta police previously announced multiple arrests in connection with the shooting on March 25. Two of the suspects were juveniles. The third, a 19-year-old, is believed to be the one who pulled the trigger.
All three suspects face felony murder charges.
Anyone with information related to the shootings should contact the Atlanta Police Homicide Unit at 404-546-4235 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
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