While large public demonstrations have dissipated in recent weeks, the Atlanta Police Department continues to investigate and arrest people seen committing crimes in the thick of the protests.
In a Facebook post Thursday, APD announced that 12 people had been identified, arrested and charged with crimes committed during the demonstrations across Atlanta earlier this summer. The list of arrests included seven people accused of looting the Nike store at Lenox Square and a man charged with arson, property damage and inciting a riot May 29. The other four arrests were previously unreported.
The latest occurred Monday as Atlanta police took 22-year-old Desai Billingsley into custody and charged him with felony burglary and felony interference with government property. On July 28, Jeffrey Blessings, 30, was arrested and charged with being involved in a riot and felony property damage, among other charges.
Earlier, Michael Jermaine Blalock, 19, and Carlton Causey, 20, were charged June 2 with felony burglary after police say they broke into the Foot Locker at Underground Atlanta.
The investigations are ongoing and include the review of media video and photographs as well as public surveillance video, the APD said.
The APD’s announcement said that the department respects the right of all people to peacefully protest but warned against committing crimes during demonstrations. Other arrests and charges may be forthcoming, police said.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
In other news:
About the Author
