The suspect accused in Sunday’s deadly stabbing near the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail had been arrested 30 times previously and was on active probation in an aggravated assault case, Atlanta police said.
Johnathan Hamby, 54, was booked Monday on charges including murder, aggravated assault, terroristic threats and acts, and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony. He is accused in the death of 29-year-old Ramon Harris near a Kroger grocery store on Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Officers were called to the area around 4:01 p.m. after a stabbing was reported, Atlanta police said. They found Harris suffering from an apparent stab wound and detained a suspect at the scene. Harris was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Johnathan Hamby has been arrested at least 30 times, including in 2022, when he faced charges of aggravated assault and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators said the violence unfolded after Hamby allegedly got into an argument with Harris and another man, then threatened to stab them. The incident occurred near Atlanta’s well-known Beltline, a 22-mile network of multi-use trails and public parks that circles the city.
“We believe this was an attack that was carried out as a result of an argument that was verbal in nature and quickly escalated,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said during a news conference Monday.
An arrest warrant obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta alleges that Hamby stabbed Harris in the neck. Investigators also recovered two knives at the scene, according to the outlet.
People walk along the Atlanta Beltline in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., Sept. 21, 2025. (REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer)
Schierbaum said that the department’s records showed Hamby was no stranger to interactions with police and had been arrested 30 times. The chief also noted that Hamby was a felon on active probation for a prior aggravated-assault case in Brookhaven.
FOX 5 also reported that Hamby had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a knife.
According to News Outlet’s review of Fulton County jail records, Hamby’s previous arrests included allegations of battery, aggravated assault, possession of a knife during the commission of a felony, obstruction of law enforcement and criminal trespass.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens speaks during a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/R.J. Rico)
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said Monday that he asked the city’s public safety and Beltline teams to review patrols, camera coverage and the emergency response surrounding the attack.
“After seeing the video of yesterday’s heinous attack on the Atlanta Beltline, my prayers are with the victim, his loved ones and everyone forced to witness such a horrific act of violence. Atlantans and visitors should be able to enjoy the Beltline safely, and I have asked our public safety and Beltline teams to conduct a review of the safety protocols surrounding this incident, including patrols, camera coverage and emergency response,” Dickens said.
The mayor said that Hamby’s long history as a felon raises “serious questions about how someone with that record was once again in a position to endanger the public.”
“Those facts demand that we examine the systems surrounding behavioral health, repeat offenders and public safety, and address any failures plainly with the partners responsible for those systems. Atlanta will continue doing everything within our power to keep people safe, but we cannot solve these challenges alone,” he said.
APD said that its information is preliminary and that the homicide investigation is ongoing. An attorney was not listed for Hamby as of Monday evening. News Outlet has requested additional information from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
