A man charged in a deadly stabbing incident on Sunday near the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail has a lengthy criminal history, with 30 prior arrests and currently on probation for an aggravated assault, the Atlanta Police Department reported.
Johnathan Hamby, 54, was arrested on Monday and faces several charges including murder, aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. This stems from the death of 29-year-old Ramon Harris, who was attacked near a Kroger grocery store located on Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Officers arrived at the scene around 4:01 p.m. in response to a report of a stabbing and discovered Harris with a significant stab wound. He was transported to a hospital and later succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities described the situation as escalating from a verbal argument between Hamby, Harris, and another man, during which Hamby allegedly threatened to stab them.
This incident occurred in a well-known area of Atlanta, featuring a 22-mile loop of trails and public parks.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum shared during a news conference that the argument became dangerous very quickly and led to the attack. An arrest warrant revealed that Hamby stabbed Harris in the neck, with two knives found at the scene by investigators.
Chief Schierbaum noted that Hamby’s interactions with law enforcement have been frequent, highlighting his history of 30 arrests. He added that Hamby was on probation for a prior aggravated assault case in Brookhaven.
Reports indicated that Hamby had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a knife. His earlier offenses included incidents of battery, possession of a weapon during a felony, and criminal trespassing, among others.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens remarked on the incident, instructing the city’s public safety and Beltline teams to assess patrols, camera systems, and emergency response protocols in relation to this attack. He expressed concern about how someone with Hamby’s criminal background was allowed to pose a threat to the public again.
In reflecting on the disturbing event, Mayor Dickens emphasized the need to address failures in the systems handling behavioral health, repeat offenders, and public safety, indicating that these issues require thorough examination. He stated, “We cannot solve these challenges alone,” ultimately committing to work towards keeping the community safe.
The Atlanta Police Department indicated that their findings are preliminary and that the homicide investigation is still ongoing. As of Monday evening, no attorney was listed for Hamby.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has been contacted for further details.
