A Gun In Your Face: Welcome To Inman Park
Last night’s armed robbery – attempted armed robbery? Who knows, but a woman had a gun stuck in her face, or was heard to say that she did – has yet to hit the news wires. Hard to say if it ever will. Which is why I’m writing about it now, along with the fact that all this took place just below our second-floor patio. On a busy street. With the usual screaming drunks still milling outside Barcelona Wine Bar less than a block away, waiting for the valet guys to bring their cars.
So the shouts didn’t mean much, at first.
I was half asleep; Joyce, in the living room, heard them. First she heard a squeal of seeming terror that girls (I know I’m supposed to call them women. They are girls) make around here when someone says something to them over their cell phones at which they want to fake surprise. Or when, as I said, they are drunk with friends, clopping down the sidewalk in their heels. Or when, as it seems to have turned out, someone sticks a gun in their friend’s face.
After the squeal, a more coherent yell: “She’s f***ing pregnant!”
The yeller must have meant this to convey, “My friend is pregnant, and therefore you should not shoot her in the face and/or take her money”: rules of robbery that criminals in Atlanta and everywhere else ignore all the time.
Joyce then saw the pair of women clopping back toward Barcelona – running from the gunman, it would be said later. She saw the guy across the street outside of his apartment barking “Hey! Hey!” in the other direction. At the gunman, I guess.
Eventually a large, bored-seeming security guard, the one I’ve seen around the premises before, showed up, Joyce said. Frantic descriptions were given of events, of the gunman, and of his accomplice: a female who wore something white. The security guard asked, “Did you call 911?” and walked away, shaking his head.
A few minutes later, the cops arrived. They did their cop routine, dashing around madly and talking into their radios. Joyce double-bolted the front door. She even locked our bedroom door.
I don’t know if there was an arrest. In truth, I don’t know if any of this really happened, though it seems like an odd thing for people to make up, and from other events lately I can say that the neighborhood absolutely is no longer safe, if it ever was. I am certain I didn’t dream the whole thing, since I couldn’t get to sleep.
Today there was a cop on what once was called, when they did it, “foot patrol." He was grim and concerned, nodding protectively to those he met. People didn't seem to buy it.
Maybe there will be a news report tomorrow, or next week. Or maybe it’s just not worth mentioning anymore.
Bryan
5:18 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
ff
Bryan
5:19 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Soooo....where exactly did this happen? On Highland? Across the street from Barcelona in the gravel lot? And what time was this observed?
D. Krajnak
9:28 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Gee, I guess all this information is off the top of your head, since there is no attribution. Did you talk to the cops? Greg Scott, the Inman Park VP for Public Safety has a neighborhood Yahoo report on this incident. This is what's wrong with citizen journalism. Few facts, just puff. -- Debra
Péralte Paul
11:09 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
We did a separate story on the incident w/confirmation from the police, Debra: http://eastatlanta.patch.com/articles/atlanta-police-seek-two-in-inman-park-armed-robbery
B Fincher
10:08 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
Krajnak…
From all indications, he did what most outsiders do – nothing – other than talk about how bad things are. One of the primary contributors to the crime in Atlanta is…nothing – and the people who do it. There’s no mention of him calling 911, giving his closely observed details to the police, taking pictures, video, or even shouting from the safety of his balcony. What he apparently does very well is what a lot of others do - always waiting for someone else to do something, expecting the police to be everywhere at once, and being highly critical. “Welcome to Inman Park”…perhaps it’s time for Randy to go home- where things are always cheery and safe – and less “messy”. Perhaps next time he can muster the strength and courage to dial a phone and at least call a neighbor to do something.
Bryan
10:48 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
Quiet observers of crime are just as bad as those committing the crime. Randy wants the neighborhood to be safer, but he sure isn’t contributing by taking notes and writing a story about it. If I were one of the victims of this crime and came across this article, I would be looking for this weasel Randy. The neighborhood doesn’t need people like this.
Space Ship
12:07 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012
I detect more of a concern in the story as to whether the females on the phone were women or girls, than the proper way to pick up a phone and dial 911. I'm just glad the girl wasn't truly shot....or worse. Perhaps that would that have inspired a phone call?
Kirkwood Resident
9:14 am on Saturday, May 12, 2012
Cameras in that area would help
Kirkwood Resident
9:18 am on Saturday, May 12, 2012
The Beltline will always be a problem due to easy access to a quick on foot get away. Still worth having, but I would advise the property to put up cameras along main entry points to property. It is so busy this would at least capture more description and vehicles
eastsider
9:22 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
i find this blog post infuriating on so many levels. starting with the crime, continuing with the "woe is me" attitude of the writer and ending with the response of the security guards, the neighbors and the police. not much empathy for the female victims -- or ya know, girls, as he prefers to call them. seriously, were they in 5th grade? because anyone who's old enough to drive is old enough to be called a woman. whether it's girls or women, the author seems to have a problem with them. what with them screeching, squealing, getting drunk, clopping around, feigning surprise on cell phones, who blames him for it? what i doubt they'll do - if they ever did, those silly, clopping, screeching girls - is read his blog posts.
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