ATLANTA (AP) – The mayor of Atlanta said Tuesday that she doesn’t agree with the Georgia governor’s order to mobilize the National Guard in her city as a surge in violence became a political talking point.
Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Monday and authorized activation of up to 1,000 Guard troops after a weekend of gun violence in Atlanta left five people dead, including Secoriea Turner, an 8-year-old girl.
Police on Tuesday released a short video of an armed man who they described as a person of interest in the girl’s shooting. Atlanta Police Lt. Pete Malecki said the video comes from a surveillance camera near where Secoriea was shot while riding in the back seat of an SUV. The reward for information in the case was doubled to $20,000.
Kemp’s office said troops will provide support at sites such as the Capitol, governor’s mansion and the state Department of Public Safety headquarters – damaged by a group early Sunday – freeing state law enforcement to patrol other areas of the city.
Some National Guard troops guarded those sites Monday night, but there was no visible presence by mid-morning Tuesday.