Georgia

1 dead after bus hijacked at gunpoint in Georgia; suspect in custody: Police

Published

2 months ago

June 11, 2024

1 dead after bus hijacked at gunpoint in Georgia; suspect in custody: Police

One person was fatally shot in connection with a bus hijacking that prompted a police chase through two Georgia counties on Tuesday, authorities said.

The incident began at approximately 4:35 p.m. ET in downtown Atlanta, when police responded to a report of gunfire on a Gwinnett County Transit bus and a “possible hostage situation,” the Atlanta Police Department said.

Police pursue a Gwinnett County Transit bus that fled the scene after officers responded to a dispute on the bus, June 11, 2024.

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“Upon the officers’ arrival at the scene, the bus fled the location, and a pursuit ensued,” the Atlanta Police Department said in a press release.

The suspect held the bus driver at gunpoint during the hijacking, according to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

There were 17 people on the bus at the time, including the bus driver, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.

During the pursuit, police received a 911 call from a family member of an occupant of the bus “saying he was receiving text messages that there had been a hijacking and that individuals were being held hostage against their will,” Schierbaum told reporters during a press briefing Tuesday evening.

Police then received another 911 call made from the bus, which remained open throughout the pursuit and provided information that helped “craft an end of this hostage situation,” the chief said.

The ensuing pursuit spanned multiple jurisdictions, during which police attempted “various tactics” to stop the bus, police said. The vehicle was ultimately disabled by a SWAT vehicle in Stone Mountain in DeKalb County, approximately 16 miles northeast of where the incident began, police said.

DeKalb County SWAT officers “strategically positioned the Bearcat to prevent any avenues of escape,” the DeKalb County Police Department said in a statement.

PHOTO: Police pursue a Gwinnett County Transit bus that fled the scene after officers responded to a dispute on the bus, June 11, 2024. — Police pursue a Gwinnett County Transit bus that fled the scene after officers responded to a dispute on the bus, June 11, 2024.
WSB

The suspect — a 39-year-old man from Stone Mountain — was taken into custody without further incident, police said.

SWAT officers found the gunshot victim while clearing the bus, DeKalb County police said. The victim was transported in critical condition to a local hospital, where they died, Atlanta police said. The name of the victim has not yet been released, pending family notification.

Investigators are working to determine when the shooting occurred, Schierbaum said.

No other injuries were reported.

The investigation remains ongoing, Atlanta police said.

The bus shooting and hijacking occurred after a separate, unrelated incident where gunfire broke out at a food court at a downtown Atlanta shopping center on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Three people were injured, and an off-duty Atlanta police officer shot the armed suspect, police said.

The suspect in the bus hijacking boarded the bus near the shopping center but was not involved in that shooting, Schierbaum said. The suspects in both incidents are convicted felons, he said.

Mayor Dickens decried the spate of gun violence that occurred Tuesday and said it is the “result of too many people having guns in their hands.”

“We all have to say enough is enough when it comes to too many people having guns in their hands and using them in violence,” he said. “I’m thankful for the men and women of the Atlanta Police Department and all these agencies here that minimized what could have been even more dangerous.”

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Georgia

Georgia football star Rodarius Thomas being held without bail after arrest on family violence charges

Published

5 mins ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Georgia football star Rodarius Thomas being held without bail after arrest on family violence charges

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Rodarius “Rara” Thomas will be away from the Georgia football team for the foreseeable future. The Bulldogs wide receiver was suspended indefinitely after he was booked into jail around 3:20 a.m. Friday, Athens-Clarke County jail records show.

Thomas was arrested on charges of cruelty to children and battery. He is being held without bail.

Thomas’ arrest marks the latest in a string of legal issues involving various members of the powerhouse college football team over the past several months.

This week’s arrest marks Thomas’ second in the past 18 months. University of Georgia Police arrested the wide receiver in January 2023 on a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor count of family violence battery.

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Georgia wide receiver Rara Thomas was arrested on charges of cruelty to children and battery early Friday, July 26, 2024, in Athens, Ga., adding to the team’s recent legal woes. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Those charges were later dropped when Thomas entered a pretrial diversion program. Details about Friday’s arrest were not immediately available.

Georgia Athletic Association spokesperson Steven Drummond said the situation involving Thomas “is a pending legal matter. We will have no further comment at this point.”

TWO GEORGIA FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARRESTED ON BACK-TO-BACK NIGHTS ON RECKLESS DRIVING CHARGES

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart spoke at Southeastern Conference media days July 16 about attempts to address repeated driving offenses by his players.

Georgia Bulldogs helmet sits on the bench

A Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the fourth quarter of a game against the Missouri Tigers at Sanford Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, in Athens, Ga. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Smart said players have been suspended and fined through the collective that provides name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to the school’s athletes. Smart’s policy is to not make public announcements when players are suspended.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s right to go down to the town square and publicly shame kids,” Smart said at SEC media days earlier this month. “When that happens, they go through a lot. And there’s a lot of remorse from these young men who’ve made mistakes. But our job is to educate. Continue to grow these young men.”

A team official confirmed the suspension of Thomas.

A view of Sanford Stadium in a game against Georgia Tech

Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

The Bulldogs open the season in Atlanta Aug. 31 in a matchup with the Clemson Tigers.

Georgia players have been involved in 24 driving-related violations (DUI, reckless driving or speeding), The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has reported, including a crash that killed a player and a recruiting staffer in January 2023.

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Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car crash on Jan. 15, 2023, just days after the Bulldogs won the national title game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Georgia

Georgia woman charged with murder after unsupervised 4-year-old boy climbs into car, dies

Published

7 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Georgia woman charged with murder after unsupervised 4-year-old boy climbs into car, dies

A Georgia woman is facing murder charges after a 4-year-old boy died inside of a car, authorities say.

On July 24, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrestedKelsey Monaco, 30, a Fitzgerald resident, about 154 miles west of Savannah. The Fitzgerald Police Department asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into the death of the child.

Investigators said the child left his apartment unsupervised and made his way inside of a car.

The 4-year-old was then found unresponsive inside the car. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

Monaco was taken into custody and booked at the Ben Hill County Jail.

USA TODAY reached out to authorities to find out Monaco’s relationship to the child and if the child died because the car was hot, but we have not heard back.

‘This can’t be real’: He left his daughter alone in a hot car for hours. She died.

Georgia woman charged with murder, investigation ongoing

Monaco is currently in custody at the Ben Hill County Jail.

Arrest records show that Monaco is facing the following charges:

1 count, first-degree child cruelty
1 count, felony murder

This investigation into the 4-year-old’s death remains active and ongoing. When the investigation is complete, the case will be transferred to the Cordelle Judicial District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fitzgerald Police Department at 229-426-5000 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Perry at 478-987-4545. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.

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Georgia

CDC officials warning about rising dengue fever cases in Georgia

Published

14 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

CDC officials warning about rising dengue fever cases in Georgia

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting a growing number of cases of dengue fever infections in Georgia.

The agency says the disease is the most common mosquito-borne infection worldwide.

There have been almost 2,900 cases of the viral infection in the United States so far in 2024 – nearly as many as were reported in all of 2023. The CDC says there has also been a record number of cases worldwide.

In Georgia, there have been 20 reported cases – up from 16 earlier in July.

What is dengue?

Spread by mosquitoes, most cases of dengue in the United States are associated with travel to areas like the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or other areas with high risk for tourists.

The CDC says most people never know if they have dengue because of a lack of symptoms.

For the 1 in 4 people who do feel sick after becoming infected, symptoms include fever, headache, skin itching and rash, vomiting, and muscle and joint pains.

In rare cases, people may get severe dengue, a medical emergency that can quickly get worse. Symptoms of this include belly pain, persistent vomiting, a bleeding nose or gums, and vomiting blood.

If you have any symptoms, talk to your doctor and share your recent travel history.

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