ATLANTA — A suspect, accused of taking part in a shooting that left four college students wounded, was out on bond for two consecutive shootings from earlier in the year.
Ahmad Coleman was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi Thursday, Oct. 10 for the shooting near the Clark Atlanta University library at the Atlanta University Center. But video and bond paperwork obtained by 11Alive, shows he was released from jail in May after alleged using an assault rifle to shoot up an apartment complex - two days in a row.
While no one was injured in the apartment shooting, Coleman received 22 charges in connection to it. Startlingly, he was released on a $120,000 signature bond. Records show Coleman’s bond consisted of him living with his mother, maintaining a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew - and he was not allowed to be in possession of a firearm.
After his recent arrest, Atlanta Police Capt. Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel scolded the court system for releasing Coleman.
“We are very strong in our position that our court systems need to stand up, and we need to do better with this," Gwinn-Villaroel said.
"It was fortunate that the loss of life did not take place with these four students," she added. "This shooting should never have taken place.”
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard agrees.
“When (Coleman) came up for bond, we asked the judge not to let him out," ” Howard said. "This has happened over and over in our system."
One need not look to far back for another example.
In July 2018, a Washington, D.C. chef, Christian Broder, was shot outside a an Atlanta club and killed, following a wedding reception he attended. The accused killer: 17-year-old Jayden Myrick, a suspected teen gang member who pleaded guilty to armed robbery.
A repeat offender with criminal history starting at the age of 14, records show prosecutors with Howard’s office pleaded with the judge not to release Myrick in 2017. The judge opted out of sending him to prison and released Myrick on probation.
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“I believe it is that system that is at fault," Howard said.
The DA blamed a slow justice system and a shortage of judges, prosecutors and public defenders in Fulton County for the issues.
He said one way to possibly fix the system is to have a case processing standard, which would mandate a certain amount of time for a case to wrap up. If the case does not go to trial or reach a plea agreement in that time, the defendant would be let go. Howard said every case needs to be disposed of in 300 days or less.
Speaking on Coleman, Howard said, “Rather than putting this defendant on bond, the judge could have said, 'I’m going to keep you in jail, but I’m going to try you in 120 days or 90 days.' That’s what we need in Fulton County," Howard said. "I believe it will go far in solving our problems.”
Regardless, Coleman is now back in jail, charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and reckless conduct in relation to the AUC shooting.
APD Chief Erika Shields said in a statement, “I’m hopeful that the Courts will give pause prior to releasing this violent felon back into the community again.”