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Man accused of planning to shoot up Atlanta airport preparing to use insanity defense, documents reveal

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Man accused of planning to shoot up Atlanta airport preparing to use insanity defense, documents reveal


The man accused of planning a mass shooting at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will attempt to use an insanity defense, new court documents reveal.

Billy Joe Cagle, 49, appeared in federal court on Thursday morning for a pretrial conference hearing to discuss the logistics of future trial dates.

In court documents requesting a competency evaluation filed earlier this week, Cagle’s attorneys say they plan to use an insanity defense. Cagle has already pleaded not guilty to some charges.

Atlanta police arrested Cagle in the Atlanta airport’s South Terminal on Oct. 20, after his family alerted the Cartersville Police Department that he threatened to “shoot up” the airport on a FaceTime call while driving, abruptly ending the call after saying, “I’m at the airport, and I’m gonna go rat-a-tat-tat,” prosecutors alleged.

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Cagle arrived at the airport in a Chevrolet pickup truck that was parked outside the doors to the terminal. When police went to the vehicle, they found an AR-15 with 27 rounds of ammunition. FBI investigators are working to find out how Cagle obtained the weapon.

Officers say they found the semi-automatic weapon and ammunition in the backseat of a truck parked in front of the Atlanta airport’s South Terminal.

Courtesy of the Atlanta Police Department


After receiving the alert with Cagle’s photo and description, two officers found the Cartersville man walking inside the terminal. Atlanta Police Chief Darren Schierbaum said investigators believe he was scouting the area before he planned to return to his truck and collect his weapon. 

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Authorities estimate that more than 20 people could have been killed if officers hadn’t been alerted in time.

Cagle is facing federal charges of attempted violence at an international airport, interstate communications containing threats, and possession of a firearm as a felon. He has remained in custody without bond.

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Billy Joe Cagle, 49, of Cartersville, Georgia. 

Photo courtesy of Clayton County Sheriff’s Office


“Mr. Cagle was suffering from a mental, psychological, and/or psychiatric condition that would render Mr. Cagle not guilty of the above counts by reason of insanity,” the new court filing reads.

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The filing also describes Cagle’s mental condition as “episodic, with periods of stability and instability.”

In the upcoming weeks, Cagle will be evaluated over his mental state during the alleged incident as well as his current mental state to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.

Defense Attorney Preston Halliburton says that Cagle remains in good spirits and has been cooperating with the legal process.

The difficulty of an insanity defense

It has become harder to succeed with an insanity defense since a federal jury found John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity for shooting President Ronald Reagan in 1981. The verdict stoked public skepticism about insanity pleas, leading to tougher federal and state requirements to reach acquittals.

According to Christopher Slobogin, professor of law and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, insanity defenses are successful is about a quarter of the cases that reach trial. The defenses are much more common in pre-trial agreements, with nearly seven in 10 insanity acquittals occuring in plea deals.

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Some states, including Idaho, Kansas, and Montana, have abolished the use of the defense.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Atlanta, GA

Thieves steal dozens of bikes meant for underprivileged kids from Atlanta nonprofit

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Thieves steal dozens of bikes meant for underprivileged kids from Atlanta nonprofit


An Atlanta nonprofit is asking the public for help after it was the victim of a brazen theft earlier this week.

Propel ATL said that thieves cleared out an entire trailer of bicycles meant for underprivileged kids sometime on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Jeremiah Jones, the nonprofit’s advocacy manager, said that someone broke into the trailer and took 26 bikes and 24 helmets.

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Nonprofit Propel Atl said someone stole dozens of bikes and helmets meant to go to children from their trailer this week.

CBS News Atlanta


The equipment was part of a program that gives bikes to children from low-income schools and teaches them how to ride.

“My heart sank when I got the call that all the bikes were gone. I said, ‘Surely not all of them.’ And all of them are gone,” Jones said. “This class is solely for kids, and this crime is affecting them.”

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Atlanta police are reviewing security footage from the area. Jones said you could see people taking the bikes out of the trailer, carrying them down a hill, and bringing them into a nearby parking lot.

The nonprofit is now trying to raise more than $10,000 to replace the bikes.

Propel ATL is also asking who may have information about the theft to contact them at programs@letspropelatl.org.



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Atlanta, GA

Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles

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Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles


A man was arrested at a concert last week after he shoved two kids off their bicycles, causing one of them to fall into a fountain, Sandy Springs police said. FOX 5 Atlanta’s Brittany Edney reporting. 

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Atlanta, GA

Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown

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Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown


Photo by Luke Beard

When Muchacho first opened along the Atlanta Beltline and Memorial Drive, it became known as a place shaped as much by its surroundings as by its menu. That site, housed in a 100‑year‑old train depot, set the tone for how the brand approaches expansion: start with the bones of a building, then let the space tell the story. The newly opened Muchacho West Midtown follows that same philosophy.

“We like to celebrate unique attributes of each property and work with the palette we’re given,” says founder and owner Michael Lennox. While the original Muchacho is defined by its long, narrow footprint and Spanish tile roof—features reminiscent of its former life as a train depot—the West Midtown location leans into an industrial past rooted in automotive culture: a former Meineke car care shop. Big windows reference former garage doors, while retro racing details appear inside.

Inside Muchacho on the Westside

Photo by Luke Beard

Still, the connective tissue between the two locations is clear. Both spaces draw heavily from Muchacho’s Southern California skate‑and‑surf roots. At Muchacho West Midtown, familiar playfulness appears via a blue‑orange‑yellow racing stripe pattern, a three‑dimensional pegboard gallery wall used to hang art and plants, and vintage Meineke signage. A life‑size cardboard cutout of George Foreman, once the pitchman for Meineke, underscores Lennox’s willingness to lean into humor and nostalgia. “It’s a playful brand,” he says.

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A functional halfpipe for skateboarding anchors the outdoor experience and will double as a performance space for bands and DJs. In about a month, a 4,000‑square‑foot “tropical secret garden” with tall bamboo lining the perimeter will open on the south side of the property. Another 1,500 square feet of patio space wraps the west and north sides, currently welcoming about 80 guests. Altogether, the West Midtown location will accommodate about 215 guests, making it comparable in size to the original, with a little more outdoor space.

Crispy chicken sandwich

Photo by Luke Beard

Muchacho West Midtown opened with the same core menu that made the Beltline location a staple: tacos, breakfast burritos, coffee, cocktails, and beer. Standouts like migas, chilaquiles, carne asada, and al pastor continue to be available. Over time, however, Lennox says each location is expected to develop its own personality, driven by the chefs who have “a pretty wide creative latitude.” Chef Betty Aparicio, formerly of Chido & Padre’s, steers the kitchen on the Westside.

“We want to nurture some immediate familiarity while providing space for some special moments you can only have at each location,” Lennox says.

Margarita

Photo by Luke Beard

One of these special moments will take place April 4 at a grand opening party dubbed MuchachoFest. Expect bands, a fortune teller, a mini skate park in parking lot, food and drink specials, and giveaways. “It’s going to be a fun day in West Midtown,” Lennox says.

A third Muchacho location will debut in the old Revival space in Decatur this summer. In addition, the Electric Hospitality team is bringing Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall to the Westside. Slated to launch in May on 11th Street, the convivial restaurant and bar will feature a 5,000-square-foot courtyard with an airstream bar, stage, and Crepe Myrtles, and a 45-seat island bar inside. Formerly a single-story warehouse from 1950s or ’60s, Ladybird West Midtown will offer the same food and beverages as its Eastside sibling with room for the chef and mixologist to add their unique touches.

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