ICYMI—Mayor Dickens, APD Assistant Chief Tyus and Major Malecki Give Update on Weekend Incidents

ICYMI-Mayor Dickens, APD Assistant Chief Tyus and Major Malecki Give Update on Weekend Incidents

ATLANTA-Mayor Andre Dickens joined Atlanta Police Department Assistant Chief Carven Tyus, Major Peter Malecki, City Council President Marci Collier Overstreet and City leaders to update the public on incidents that occurred over the Easter weekend. You can watch the entire press conference by following this link.

"I want YOU to know where YOUR child is at all times. I want YOU to know where your child is. YOU." - Mayor Andre Dickens

Among several main points discussed:

Mayor Dickens said "On Saturday (April 4^th), 16-year-old Tianah Robinson lost her life in a tragic incident of gun violence.

"During the same incident, 15-year-old Italia Wilson was also shot in the shoulder, but thankfully, after being treated at Grady, she is healing at home."

The shooting incident occurred at Piedmont Park, on the opposite end from where a permitted festival through the City's standard process was held, which concluded at 7:45 p.m.-more than an hour before the incident. City Code required a minimum staffing ratio of one sworn police officer for every 1,500 attendees. At its peak, the event had 1,200 attendees.

A total of 11 sworn officers, 12 private security personnel and 2 medics were on site. APD was proactive in advance of the event, as were the organizers of the event. This shooting occurred more than an hour after the event concluded.

Mayor Dickens spoke directly with the family of Tianah Robinson, who lived in Clayton County and attended North Clayton High School and shared that the Administration's hearts are with her family and loved ones as they mourn.

Mayor Dickens also spoke with Italia's family, who, again, has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home in Norcross with her loved ones.

There currently is a $15,000 Crime Stoppers reward for useful information to assist law enforcement in bringing justice for these families. You can provided anonymous tips by calling 404-577-8477.

"I'm speaking directly to parents: we don't want to parent FOR you. It's YOUR job to parent." - Mayor Andre Dickens

APD Assistant Chief Tyus was very clear when asked if this was a teen takeover. There were no teen takeovers in Atlanta. Take the time to listen to his full response here.

Mayor Dickens addressed overall public safety saying "Crime is down in our city and we have not had a weekend like this in quite a long time. Four years ago today, there were 48 homicides by this time of year. This year, we are at 17. Let me be clear: one homicide is one too many. But let me be clear: there were three times as many homicides four years ago on this date as there are today."

This was a busy weekend in Atlanta, with at least EIGHT Metro Atlanta school jurisdictions observing Spring Break all at the same time. Last Friday afternoon, 600,000 Metro Atlanta students began looking for something to do through next Monday. Just last Thursday, Mayor Dickens held a media event to address this issue and announced several programs and events provided to young people in Atlanta, all of which are FREE, to address this "Super Spring Break."

Also this weekend, residents and visitors observed Easter and 404 Day celebrations, sporting events, concerts and other gatherings and Mayor Dickens thanked those residents and visitors who celebrated as people generally should-who also had a great time in this city. Mayor Dickens also thanked public safety officials and Grady staff for their service.

Another highlight from Mayor Dickens: "The city's (Atlanta) population is about eight (8) percent of the Metro Atlanta area. That's 520,000 residents, and there's 6.5 million Metro Atlantans. This eight percent can't take care of the other 92 percent's kids."

Mayor Dickens, a parent and self-described "Girl Dad" spoke directly to parents with a message: "She's now off to college…We knew where our daughter was at all times, and we know teenagers…sometimes they play games…'Mom, take me to ABC's house'…and when they get to ABC that's when they take off and go somewhere else. This family might be a little looser with where their kids can go and what they can do.

"I want YOU to know where YOUR child is at all times. I want YOU to know where your child is. YOU know where they're going, where they could potentially go…have a cell phone tracker. Don't allow them to just go anywhere and you aren't paying any attention. And DEFINITELY don't drop off a child directly right up against curfew, because they are going to be a curfew violator moments later. These are precautions we are asking you to take in Metro Atlanta. If you live in the suburbs and drop your kids off Downtown because you want to have some fun in Downtown Atlanta and then go pick them up later, you need to be making sure you know where they are.

"I'm speaking directly to parents: we don't want to parent FOR you. It's YOUR job to parent. If you break curfew, both you and your kid will be in trouble. We have laws for that, and we actually have been taking those laws to the fullest extent possible. - (Watch here)

The Mayor also announced that over the next few weeks, as part of the upcoming budget, the Administration will be asking the Atlanta City Council to "provide additional resource to continue our support of youth engagement activities, to improve neighborhood health and to attack the root causes of crime."

Mayor Dickens also stated that he will ask City Council to expand the work of the Office of Violence Reduction, stating "Previous Councils have supported our efforts around the Year of the Youth, the creation of the APD C.A.R.E. Unit, the creation of the Park Rangers, the Mayor's Office of Violence Reduction…I will be asking Council to support an expansion of these efforts, which taken together, will increase and improve neighborhood health and increase public safety."

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For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit https://www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @CityofAtlanta.