Atlanta man recovering after violent home invasion at apartment complex

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – An Atlanta man is recovering after a violent home invasion resulted in a SWAT standoff with the suspect.

Atlanta police said 32-year-old Justin Gilliam is facing multiple charges in connection to the incident.

The victim, Ryan Stokes, said a man entered his apartment on Howell Mill Road and beat him nearly unconscious.

Stokes suffered a fractured eye and a severe concussion.

“He punched me in the eye, I fell to the ground. He started beating me and picked up a handheld vacuum,” Stokes said. “I could feel myself losing consciousness, then he just stopped and left out the door.”

According to Stokes, the incident happened just minutes after his brother left to pick up food when the door suddenly opened.

“I thought it was my brother again because he forgot something,” he said.

Stokes said he had never seen or met the suspect.

Even after police arrived, investigators said Gilliam locked himself into a unit until the SWAT team showed up.

Stokes, who is a photographer, is now out of work until he fully heals.

“I can’t go over there alone without feeling like somebody’s going to come behind me and attack me,” he said.

Stokes’ friends have started a GoFundMe page to help.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.