Atlanta Public Schools Employee Shot At, Dragged During Robbery

ATLANTA - Police have released surveillance video of an Atlanta Public Schools employee who was shot at and dragged by a car during an armed robbery at Boyd Elementary School in northwest Atlanta a week ago.

A parent who was in the school parking lot when it happened said, "When I heard the shot it kind of scared me and I kind of jumped, and when I jumped and turned around I could see the girl falling to the ground."

Still shaken days after the brazen daylight robbery in the school parking lot, the parent asked not to be identified as she recounted the terrifying ordeal saying, "She was screaming help me somebody  please help me and she said they stole her purse or something."

Atlanta Police were dispatched to the school at about 2:47 p.m. The victim, a cafeteria worker, told police as she approached her vehicle in the school parking lot she saw a man in her car with her purse which she had placed underneath her seat. She struggled with the man, grabbing her purse, but he wouldn't let go. He jumped into a waiting vehicle. The car took off speeding out of the parking lot, dragging the woman, who was still holding onto her purse."

The getaway driver fired two gunshots at the victim and she let go of the purse, falling onto the street in front of the school. The suspects' vehicle, a tan Honda Accord, continued to travel east on Perry Boulevard. Startled by the gunfire, the stunned witness saw the victim fall to the ground and rushed to help. "I'm blowing my horn at her you know to alert her to get up, and when she got up I told her to get in my car. We went back to the school and I called 911."

"We had Grady come to the scene and check her out," said Atlanta Police Sergeant Gregory Lyon. "She didn't have to be transported.  She suffered some abrasions. I think more than the injuries she is pretty shook up about what happened."

Letters went home with students Monday alerting parents to the incident.

In a written statement APS schools said "The APS Safety and Security Department is working collaboratively with the Atlanta Police Department to curtail these incidents on our campuses and school sites...The safety and security of our students and staff are our top priorities."