‘Release This Man Now!’: Georgia Homeowner Turns Himself In — Then Gets Charged After Shooting Teens Allegedly Trying to Steal His Packages, Sparking Outrage
Atlanta police have now charged a southwest Atlanta homeowner who opened fire on two teenagers he believed were stealing packages from his porch — a confrontation that left one teen critically wounded and has ignited fierce debate across the city. The shooting unfolded Dec. 11 at the Villages of Cascade townhome community near Benjamin E. Mays Drive. According to FOX 5, Rakim Bradford, 34, called a co-worker and shared a version of events immediately after the shooting. Rakim Bradford was arrested and charged after shooting two teens he suspected of trying to steal from him. (Credit: Fox 5 Screengrab) That co-worker told detectives Bradford said he had been inside his home on Celeste Lane cleaning his gun when he got a notification that a package had arrived. When he opened the door to retrieve it, he allegedly saw three males he believed were stealing the package. The witness said Bradford later told him the gun “went off” and that he thought he had hit one of the teens in the back. ‘What Would Make Her Say That…?’: Baby’s Instant Side-Eye Goes Viral After White Woman Drops a Tone-Deaf Line Nobody Saw Coming According to a warrant reviewed by FOX 5, the two teens identified as Jamari Smith and Kayden Williams admitted they did plan to steal packages after watching a white delivery truck drop off some packages. But they also added that before they had a chance to get to the packages, bullets started flying. Before officers arrived, investigators say Bradford fled the scene, later turning himself in and bringing the firearm with him. When police reached the complex, they found the 15-year-old with a gunshot wound to the foot. The second teen had been shot in the arm — a serious injury that required emergency surgery. They're both expected to survive. “We believe a property crime was occurring,” Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. “The homeowner did discharge his weapon to stop that theft of packages. Anytime a child is injured in our city, we take that really seriously.” Bradford was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Investigators have not yet said whether surveillance video captures the shooting or whether the teens will face charges. As details emerged, the story ignited strong reactions, many expressing sympathy for Bradford, arguing he should never have been prosecuted. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Atlanta Black Star (@atlblackstar) “Why is he being charged? They came on his property and were stealing from him!!!” one commenter wrote on YouTube. Others echoed the sentiment, “Good luck seating a jury that will convict. We're all sick of these thieves.” A third supporter added, “RELEASE THIS MAN NOW. He did nothing wrong.” But others insisted the case highlights exactly why homeowners cannot use deadly force to protect property. “The lesson here is… DON’T STEAL. But I feel more sorry for the homeowner being charged than the teens,” one viewer wrote — while still acknowledging that Bradford’s actions crossed a legal line. Georgia law allows the use of deadly force in cases of self-defense or to prevent a forcible felony — but not to stop a property crime. Police emphasized that distinction repeatedly. The shooting also follows several recent high-profile cases in which homeowners claimed they opened fire out of fear, only to be criminally charged. Last month, a 73-year-old homeowner in LaGrange, Georgia, was arrested after shooting a police officer through his front door. The homeowner and his wife called 911 after hearing strange knocking at their door, and when a cop responded, the couple says he didn't announce himself, leading them to believe he was a potential home intruder. The 73-year-old was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and giving false statements. In another incident that made national news last month, an Indiana homeowner was charged after firing a shot through his front door that fatally struck a woman who mistook his home for another house where she was hired to clean. Police formally charged the homeowner with voluntary manslaughter for the killing.
