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Atlanta officers say training was critical in swift arrest
Two Atlanta police officers credit their tactical training for the swift five-minute arrest of an armed suspect accused of killing a woman on the Atlanta Beltline and assaulting a postal worker last Thursday.
ATLANTA - Two Atlanta police officers credit their tactical training for the swift five-minute takedown of a man accused of a fatal afternoon stabbing on the Atlanta Beltline. The arrest occurred right outside a church after the suspect was spotted fleeing the area on a bicycle.
What we know:
Atlanta police officers B. Alix and K. Taylor arrested 21-year-old Jahmare Brown outside a church on Peachtree Street. Investigators say Brown stabbed 23-year-old Alyssa Paige around noon last Thursday on the 1700 block of Flagler Avenue NE, just north of the Montgomery Ferry Drive overpass.
Before the fatal stabbing, Brown allegedly assaulted a U.S. Postal Service worker with a brick. Officers Alix and Taylor spotted Brown riding a bicycle along Peachtree Street shortly after the attack and moved in to block his path, forcing him to the ground at gunpoint.
Dig deeper:
Officer Alix has served with the Atlanta Police Department for six years and operates as a field training officer and tactical field officer. His partner, Officer Taylor, is a rookie who had been on the force for just one month at the time of the arrest.
The pair were patrolling when the emergency call was broadcast. Alix directed Taylor to drive past the suspect to cut off his escape route, allowing Alix to jump out of the vehicle and initiate the tactical arrest.
What they're saying:
"Once I saw him, the first thing I knew not to do, was give him no time to think," Officer Alix said. "I got out the car and I told him to get down on the ground. When he did, I told him to have his hands on the ground... When he did, I came right by his hand to make sure he complied. Officer Taylor arrested him."
"If you’re not properly trained, this is a situation that can fold you but the amount of training that we receive, not only am I a field training officer, but I am TFO- Tactical Field Officer," Alix explained. When asked if they would risk their lives to do it again, both officers replied, "Absolutely. Yes. Absolutely. That’s what we signed up for."
Big picture view:
Brown remains in custody and is facing multiple severe criminal charges for the crime spree. Court records show he is charged with murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony.
What we don't know:
Police investigators have not released an official motive behind the unprovoked sequence of attacks. While authorities believe Brown may have been experiencing a mental health episode during the violence, his medical history and psychological evaluation results have not been made public.
The Source: The information in this article comes from an interview with arresting officers B. Alix and K. Taylor and prior FOX 5 reporting.