A man wanted on a public indecency warrant remains at large in metro Atlanta after residents in several intown Atlanta neighborhoods documented nearly 40 incidents of harassment, stalking, and indecent exposure targeting women and girls over the past seven months.
No incidents have been confirmed in Sandy Springs, and the Sandy Springs Police Department has not issued a statement on the case. All documented encounters have occurred in the City of Atlanta neighborhoods of Inman Park, Candler Park, Edgewood, Lake Claire, and Virginia-Highland. Because the suspect has not been apprehended and operates across a wide area using rented scooters and bikes, this report is published as a regional safety alert for metro Atlanta residents.
Suspect description: A Black male in his mid-30s, approximately 5-foot-10, medium build, with dreadlocks and either braces or tooth gems. He is often seen riding a rented scooter or bike.
The Atlanta Police Department has urged anyone who encounters the suspect to call 911 immediately.
What has been documented
Residents across the five neighborhoods compiled a spreadsheet tracking the incidents and shared it with Rough Draft Atlanta, which published a detailed report on Friday, July 17. According to Rough Draft Atlanta's reporting, the spreadsheet lists nearly 40 separate incidents including verbal harassment, following women on foot, entering private property, and publicly masturbating in front of women and children.
Inman Park resident Kimberly Coveney told Rough Draft Atlanta the suspect followed her as she walked home. She took refuge on a neighbor's porch on Sinclair Avenue and called 911. While she was on the phone with the dispatcher, the suspect exposed himself and began to masturbate in the street. An APD officer arrived and the suspect fled on foot.
"I felt like prey," Coveney told Rough Draft Atlanta. "I was trapped on the porch until another neighbor came out and let me wait for the police in his home."
Coveney said she was seeking a protective order against the suspect at APD's recommendation.
In a separate incident, the suspect followed a woman into her Edgewood apartment building, slipping through a security gate behind her and getting into the elevator. The victim escaped to her apartment. The suspect has also approached teenage girls walking home and children younger than five, calling some by name, according to neighborhood accounts cited by Rough Draft Atlanta.
Inman Park resident Cara Martin reported two encounters. In the first, the suspect approached her asking to pet her dog, then asked where she lived and began following her. In the second, he followed Martin for two blocks with his hand down his pants.
Why police haven't made an arrest
Despite the volume of documented incidents, APD has been unable to charge the suspect with most offenses due to a lack of physical or photographic evidence and his ability to flee before officers arrive. The current warrant is a misdemeanor charge. Coveney said APD told her the suspect would likely be released on bond if arrested.
He has been arrested at least twice before on other misdemeanor charges, including disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.
How to report
APD has an active warrant for the suspect's arrest for public indecency. Sandy Springs residents who believe they have encountered this individual should call 911.
Muhammad Hafeez, director of community engagement at Atlanta PAD (Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative, a City of Atlanta program), encouraged Atlanta residents to also dial 311 to make a referral in addition to calling 911.
Rough Draft Atlanta is not publishing the suspect's name or photo because he has not been formally charged with the offenses in the active warrant. No court date has been scheduled.
