A man was arrested after a video appearing to show a woman being sexually assaulted at Opera nightclub was streamed on Facebook Live earlier this month, authorities confirmed.
Atlanta police told Channel 2 Action News that Dominique Williams, 34, turned himself in Tuesday after Special Victims Unit investigators secured a warrant against him on a charge of aggravated sodomy.
L. Chris Stewart and Joshua Palmer, attorneys for the woman, said in a joint statement that Williams’ arrest “serves as vindication for her and all other women who have been victims of sexual assault.”
On Jan. 20, police said the department received calls from people who had seen the alleged assault on Facebook, AJC.com previously reported.
RELATED: 'No, stop!' Woman streamed her assault inside Opera on Facebook Live
The next day, police announced they had identified and contacted the man seen in the video, but they didn’t release his name because the investigation was ongoing.
The video, streamed on Facebook Live from inside the club on Crescent Avenue in Midtown, “appears to show a woman being sexually assaulted in a local nightclub,” police spokesman Jarius Daugherty said.
Police said the woman was no longer in Georgia but was cooperating with investigators. It is AJC.com’s policy to not name victims of sexual assault.
The woman was celebrating her birthday at the popular nightclub and was live streaming the celebration when she captured the attack as it happened, Channel 2 Action News previously reported. She told police someone put drugs in her drink.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
According to a police report obtained by AJC.com, a caller told police she saw a video of a woman being groped and possibly “being raped” as she screamed “No, stop!”
Video of the alleged sexual assault has since been removed from Facebook. The woman later posted a video saying she was OK, Channel 2 reported.
In a statement on its Facebook page, management for Opera nightclub said they are cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time we have met with the Atlanta Police Department and have provided them with everything they have requested,” management said in the statement posted Jan. 20. “We will continue to aid and support their investigation in any way we can.”
As of Wednesday night, Williams remained in the Fulton County Jail without bond, according to jail records.
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