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WATCH LIVE: Atlanta mayor, APD hold news conference on ‘Covid Crime Wave’

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant and Emory infectious diseases Dr. Carlos Del Rio will be holding a news conference Tuesday to talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on crime in the city.

Atlanta and surrounding areas have seen a rise in crime over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic rages in Georgia.

We’ll have LIVE coverage of the news conference planned for 11 a.m. on WSBRadio.com.

In May, WSB learned shootings were already up 50% this year. We also found there has been a dramatic increase in murders, up 60%. Rape, aggravated assaults and shootings are all up double-digit percentages across Atlanta compared to the same point last year, city data shows.

The city is reeling from the recent gruesome killing of 40-year-old Katherine Janness and her dog at Piedmont Park. Janness and her dog were found stabbed to death near the entrance of the park last week. Police have yet to find their killer.

Gov. Brian Kemp has previously criticized Atlanta’s leadership for creating what he called a soft on crime attitude, leading to the rise in crime.

“A lack of elected leadership in our capital city is creating an anti-police, soft on crime environment, which is allowing violent crime to skyrocket and (which) endangers the safety and security of families across the metro Atlanta area,” Kemp said.

Bottoms called the comments election year politicking and pointed to the state’s overall rising crime rates.

“What are you doing about the job that you have? Because I’ve been true to the commitments I made when I ran for mayor, but I can’t say the same for him,” Bottoms said.

Bottoms has vowed to to fight the rise in crime by launching a pilot program focused on public safety. She also committed to adding 250 new officers in the next fiscal year.

“We’re also working now with city council to enact a retention bonus to keep those officers from leaving the force,” Bottoms said.


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