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Atlanta man dies abroad in Panama, family struggles to bring his body home

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Atlanta man dies abroad in Panama, family struggles to bring his body home


A metro Atlanta man died while on vacation in Panama almost three weeks ago. His family has been trying desperately to get his body home to Georgia ever since.

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“It’s super frustrating because we just want to get him home,” said Christy Smith, a cousin of Adrian Bennett.

50-year-old Adrian Bennett was known as the fun-loving one with all the jokes. He was an all-around good guy, according to those who knew him best. His family told FOX 5 that Bennett grew up in Marietta and had worked for FedEx for more than 20 years.

Adrian Bennett (Photo submitted by family)

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On Feb. 17, he went on vacation to Panama. He was supposed to fly home on Feb. 23, but instead, his best friend received a phone call with tragic news.

“According to what they say, he fell from a balcony which was about 12-feet high and supposedly hit his head and succumbed from that,” said Carlos Smith.

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Initially, family and friends didn’t know who picked up the body or where they took him.
 

“It’s been a long process, and it’s like we’re at a standstill, and we’re not getting any answers,” said Paula Redman, a family member.

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After numerous phone calls, they finally found the morgue, but the morgue needed proof they were relatives.

The closest Consulate for Panama is in Tampa, Florida, so a relative there collected all the documents.

“We took all these papers, his birth certificate, his sister’s birth certificate, their ID’s, a copy of his passport,” said Christy Smith.

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She was told copies wouldn’t work, they needed the originals.

“We’re running into walls everywhere we turn,” said Deedra Watts, a cousin.

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Now, they’re fighting against the clock.

“We were told if he’s not back in 30 days, that Panama can do pretty much what they want to with his remains,” said Watts.

They’ve asked everyone they can think of for help.

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Adrian Bennett (Photo submitted by family)

“I personally went and contacted the FBI, I’ve contacted the state department, Sen. Warnock, Sen. Ossoff, Congressman David Scott. We’re never going to give up until we actually get him back home,” said Carlos Scott.

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“It’s just a lot of people that want to see him get home, so we can have a proper homegoing service for him,” said Smith.



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Atlanta, GA

Braves News: NBP pieces falling into place, slow market, more

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Braves News: NBP pieces falling into place, slow market, more


Well the NBP posted players all seem to be settled now, with Imai and Okamoto having signed with an MLB club and Takahashi returning to the NBP. Those players do not seem to have sparked movement in the overall market, either in free agency or in trades, at least so far, as this offseason continues to be glacial. Hopefully things pick up a bit as we get more separation from the holidays. The Braves still seem to be motivated to make a big addition, but this front office has shown that the right deal has to be there for them to pull the trigger.



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Atlanta, GA

Police investigating stabbing on Moreland Avenue in SE Atlanta

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Police investigating stabbing on Moreland Avenue in SE Atlanta


A man was stabbed Saturday in southeast Atlanta, according to police.

What we know:

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According to Atlanta police, officers responded to the 400 block of Moreland Avenue SE to reports of a male who had been stabbed. Investigators believe a female and male were involved in a dispute that resulted in the stabbing.

What we don’t know:

Police did not identify the male or female.

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No word yet on charges.

The Source: Information provided by the Atlanta Police Department.

SE AtlantaCrime and Public Safety
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Business damaged as 500 teens swarm Atlantic Station

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Business damaged as 500 teens swarm Atlantic Station


A large police presence responded to Atlantic Station on Saturday

Atlanta police say nearly 500 teenagers caused a massive disturbance at Atlantic Station Saturday night, launching fireworks into crowds and eventually drawing real gunfire outside the district.

Atlantic Station chaos

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The backstory:

Atlanta police originally responded to the shopping center after 7 p.m. following reports of shots fired. While investigators quickly determined the sounds were actually fireworks being ignited by a large crowd of “unruly” juveniles, the situation turned more dangerous as the crowd was dispersed.

“It can escalate from firecrackers to now its guns to life being taken. That’s something we don’t want,” said John Williams, who was visiting the area.

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As officers cleared the mall, a group of teenagers allegedly began firing actual guns near Spring Street NW and 17th Street. 

Shooting outside Atlantic Station

What they’re saying:

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The gunfire sent patrons at Nan Thai Fine Dining ducking for cover.

“Definitely about 30 shots,” said Jedi Niyomkul, the restaurant’s general manager. “I’m making sure everyone is on the ground because we do have a lot of glass.”

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Niyomkul said the restaurant was hit by at least one bullet. He expressed frustration that the crowd was pushed out of the mall but not adequately monitored once they crossed into the surrounding city streets.

“Once they got them across the bridge, there was no patrol over on this side to make sure that they dispersed,” Niyomkul said. “Literally at 17th and Spring, right there, 100 to 150 kids just sitting all around the corner, doing absolutely nothing, just looking for trouble.”

Atlantic Station curfew

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Dig deeper:

The disturbance occurred despite Atlantic Station’s strict codes of conduct. The district enforces a 3 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18, requiring them to be with a parent or guardian. Additionally, no one under 21 is allowed on the property after 9 p.m.

Atlanta City Council member Michael Julian Bond said the city must find a more consistent way to manage large groups of youth.

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“We again manage this population policy-wise, more than any other segment than our society, so we all got to step up year-round in how we manage that population,” Bond said.

The Source: Information in this article came from Atlanta police and FOX 5’s Annie Mapp speaking with Jedi Niyomkul and Michael Julian Bond. 

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