Man accused of slashing homeless tents in Atlanta was at courthouse for another case

ATLANTA - Daniel "Davinci" Barnett, 42, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon by Fulton County Sheriff's Office deputies and Atlanta Police Department officers in connection with the destruction of several tents belonging to members of Atlanta's homeless population over the weekend.

What we know:

The incident occurred on March 7, just across the street from Ebenezer Baptist Church, sparking outrage from community leaders and activists.

Video obtained by FOX 5 shows a man wearing an "Enforcement" shirt, who appeared to be armed, slashing through the tents of Atlanta’s homeless population with a knife.

ORIGINAL STORY: Man faces charges for slashing tents of Atlanta's homeless, police say

The tense encounter took place just a few hundred feet from Ebenezer Baptist Church and only steps away from the site where Cornelius Taylor was killed by a city bulldozer during an encampment clearing.

An arrest warrant for Barnett accuses him of routinely harassing, threatening and intentionally damaging belongings of homeless individuals living on Old Wheat Street over the last two weeks. 

Community activists held a news conference Saturday, urging the City of Atlanta to pursue charges.

Following a brief investigation and interviews with several victims, Atlanta police secured warrants for Barnett on charges of damage to property.

What they're saying:

Authorities also made a point to separate Barnett’s actions from official city operations.

"Mr. Barnett is known to work as a security officer in the Auburn area, and it is important to note that Mr. Barnett is not affiliated with the City of Atlanta or the City of Atlanta Police Department," APD said in a statement. "At this time, it is believed that he acted alone."

Barnett was taken into custody Tuesday while appearing at the Fulton County Courthouse for an unrelated case.

Dig deeper:

Court records show Barnett has a history of "harassing" behavior. His arrest on Tuesday was not his first run-in with the law. 

Barnett was at the Fulton County courthouse on Tuesday in connection with a previous charge of aggravated stalking. Prosecutors have now filed a motion to have his bond in that case revoked, but the decision will be up to a judge. 

"I feel really relieved and satisfied that he’s being held accountable for his actions. Stalking is hard to prove unfortunately," Latonya Beverly told FOX 5 Atlanta.

Beverly says she dated Barnett a few years back, but when the relationship ended, she saw a different side of him.

In a warrant obtained by FOX 5, Barnett is accused of violating a temporary protective order Beverly had in place by showing up at her job and placing a GPS tracking device on her car.

Police arrested and charged him with aggravated stalking in 2022. Investigators say he was out on bond when he approached residents of the Old Wheat Street homeless encampment with a firearm and knife—then proceeded to cut up eight tents.

According to Barnett's website, he operates a security company named S.A.F.E. Frontline Enforcement in Atlanta's Sweet Auburn community.

The website says the company offers crime deterrent, risk reduction and homeless encampment removal services. 

It also states Barnett had done contract work with the Historic District Development Corporation, founded by Coretta Scott King, to preserve affordable housing in the neighborhood.

In an email sent to board members on Tuesday, an HDDC official said Barnett had initially been asked to put out a campfire started by someone at the encampment on Thursday, but went beyond that directive in slashing their tents. 

The email states the organization cut ties with him following the incident.

Big picture view:

The tent slashing incident has renewed conversations about what needs to be done to solve the city’s homeless crisis once and for all. 

In February, Atlanta’s mayor and council approved the creation of a Homeless Solutions Task Force after Cornelius Taylor was killed by a city bulldozer during an encampment clearing in January.

Rev. Nolan English is a member of that task force and the co-founder of Traveling Grace Ministries. He also leads the Justice For Cornelius Taylor Coalition. 

"Homelessness doesn’t have to be a lived experience…but it’s a lived experience for me," he said. "There’s navigation outreach needs that need to happen, there’s issues with case managers that need to happen, and there’s issues with permanent supportive housing that needs to happen…it is a very broken and very fragmented system."

He tells FOX 5 he believes the real solution starts with creating connectivity among city programs and city leaders listening to the individual needs of residents experiencing homelessness in Atlanta. 

The other side:

Barnett agreed via phone to be interviewed by FOX 5. However, we have not been able to reach him since then. 

What's next:

He is expected to be charged with seven counts of criminal trespass and damage to property, along with one count of reckless conduct.

AtlantaCrime and Public SafetyNews