Charges dropped against woman arrested after Midtown Atlanta stabbing

ATLANTA - The woman who reportedly arrested for stabbing a man she met through a dating app will not be prosecuted, according to Fulton County District Attorney's Office.

The decision was made in March 2023 that it would be in the interest of justice and judicial economy to proceed forward with a nolle prosequi in the matter. 

Nolle prosequi is a legal notice or entry of record that the prosecutor or plaintiff has decided to abandon the prosecution or lawsuit.

ORIGINAL STORY

Atlanta police have a warning for anyone who considers meeting up with someone they met online to meet in a public place.

This comes after a man was stabbed this week in a Midtown Atlanta apartment complex after meeting a woman from a dating app.

Atlanta Police Officer Anthony Grant says there are a few things to do and keep in mind when meeting up with an online date for the first time.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the date’s first and last name to do some digging to confirm this person exists.

"Let a friend know exactly where you’re going to be, who you’ll be with and if it is a person whom you’ve met online, you might want to take a screenshot of a person’s profile and send it to a friend and say 'Here’s where I’ll be and who I’ll be with,'" he said.

Once in the public space, police say to have an exit plan.

"When you get to the coffee shop or restaurant, the first thing you do is look at the exit signs in that establishment in case you have to excuse yourself and leave," he said.

Just last month FOX 5 reported about a missing Hapeville woman found dead after meeting a stranger from online.

For years there have also been warnings about dating app extortion that often involves intricate tricks to blackmail a victim into handing over money.

Atlanta police arrested and charged Antanina Piatruchyk with aggravated assault for stabbing a man at a Midtown apartment. The two met on a dating app.

"We cannot stop a consenting adult from certain behavior, but we want to prevent a crime," Officer Grant said.

"If you’re going to go to a person’s home— which I’m not too sure is the right thing to do the first time you meet a stranger," he said. "I suggest you share your location. There is real time GPS. Share it with your friends and family, someone you trust."

Finally, police say consider conversations. Heavy questioning about finances, requests for money or donations are what Officer Grant called "red flags."

Tinder will let users perform a background check when you match with someone. The background check will not reveal any personal data about the person, but will only reveal any information relevant to the user's safety. They offer two free background checks and offer more for a fee.