A 54-year-old man has been charged with murder following a fatal stabbing near Atlanta’s Beltline over the weekend. Johnathan Hamby was booked Monday on charges including murder, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and possession of a weapon during a felony, according to the Atlanta Police Department.
The incident occurred Sunday at approximately 4:01 p.m. near the Eastside Trail of the Beltline, close to a Kroger grocery store at Ponce de Leon Avenue. Police responded to a report of a stabbing and found 29-year-old Ramon Harris with an apparent stab wound. Harris was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Officers detained Hamby at the scene. Police described the altercation as escalating from a verbal argument between Hamby, Harris, and another man. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum stated in a news conference that the confrontation "quickly escalated" before Hamby allegedly stabbed Harris in the neck. Two knives were recovered at the scene, authorities reported.
Hamby’s criminal history includes at least 30 prior arrests, according to police records. He was also on active probation for an aggravated assault case in Brookhaven, having previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a knife in a separate incident. A petition to revoke his probation was filed in DeKalb County in March.
Witnesses described the confrontation as volatile. Jessica Redd, who captured video of the incident, told reporters that Hamby pulled out a knife and attempted to slash others during the argument. "I was scared… I did not want to go towards him," she said. Friends of Harris shared photos of him and described him as an artist.
The case has prompted discussions about the tracking of repeat offenders. Dave Wilkinson, president of the Atlanta Police Foundation and chair of Fulton County’s Repeat Offender Commission, highlighted gaps in how criminal histories are presented to judges. "You're only as good as the data you have. If the judges don't have the data that's a big problem and that is what was happening," Wilkinson said. A repeat offender tracking unit has since been established to address these concerns.
Hamby remains in custody without bond as the investigation continues.