ATLANTA — A 66-year-old man has died while in custody at the Fulton County Jail, the sheriff's office said in a release Friday.
Alexander Hawkins was found unresponsive in a medical unit cell Thursday just before 7:30 a.m., the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said.
"Medical personnel were unsuccessful at attempts to revive Hawkins and he died," according to the sheriff's office.
Hawkins was taken into custody by Atlanta Police on a shoplifting charge on July 31. He was taken to the Atlanta City Detention Center-- until he had a municipal court hearing on Aug. 1.
The 66-year-old man's case was then turned over to the Fulton County Superior Court. He was then taken by APD and booked at the jail on Aug. 5. The sheriff's office said Hawkins was being held on a $5,000 bond.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of Hawkins' death.
While jail officials have not yet confirmed the details surrounding Hawkins' death, Fulton County Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman said she's concerned.
"I support the sheriff, but I also support accountability. I also support that I could have a relative right now that may be locked up in the Fulton County Jail and my heart would skip a beat because I'm afraid for the inmates I'm afraid for the employees," Abdur-Rahman said.
More controversy surrounding the Fulton County Jail
In July, the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation to look into the conditions at the jail. This was after LaShawn Thompson, 35, died in September, 2022 while in custody. His family claimed he had been eaten alive by insects and bedbugs while living in filth in the jail.
Earlier this month, Thompson's family reached a $4 million settlement with the county. A private autopsy revealed Thomspon died from "severe neglect."
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Photos | Man covered in bed bugs, found dead in filthy conditions inside Fulton County Jail
Since Thompson's death, other people have also died while in Fulton County Sheriff's Office custody.
On July 11, 19-year-old Noni Battiste-Kosok died while being held at the Atlanta City Detention Center-- a facility operated by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. Last Thursday, Battiste-Kosoko's family held a press conference and pleaded for answers about her death.
Her mother Shashu Battiste previously said she's been frustrated about the process of trying to get information from the sheriff's office.
“Physically there was nothing wrong with my daughter to my knowledge when I last saw her, so I’m just confused, you know, how a 19-year-old dies in jail,” Battiste previously said.
Then, on the night of July 31, 40-year-old Montay Stinson was found dead in his cell. Stinson was found with "no obvious signs of injury," according to authorities.
Additionally, last Friday, 34-year-old Christopher Smith had also been found unresponsive in a medical unit cell and died at the Fulton County Jail, the sheriff's office said.
In all, according to the Sheriff's Office, since September 1, 2022, 17 people have died in Fulton County detention.
The county is just beginning the long process of planning for a new jail, at an estimated cost of $1.7 billion, with construction expected to be complete by the end of the decade.
So, right now, "The Fulton County Jail is in crisis," Commissioner Abdur-Rahman said. "We cannot continue with business as usual. I believe that we need some outside help."
She points to the help received by the county-owned Grady Hospital in Atlanta, for example.
Last year, when Grady was facing a crush of additional patients, as Atlanta Medical Center was closing, the state stepped in, and immediately gave Grady $130 million in federal funds.
Could the state also help with the jail?
“I see the Fulton County Jail as the same priority as Grady Hospital was" Abdur-Rahman said. "And so I'm open to any help that we need, right now. We can't wait. We can't wait.... We're putting lives at risk, we're putting employees at risk. And I am sounding the alarm that we need to do something right now.”
Earlier this week, former president Donald Trump and 18 others were indicted under Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The Fulton County Sheriff's Office said that based on the guidance received from the district attorney’s office and presiding judge, it is expected that all 19 defendants named in the indictment will also be booked at the jail. They have until next Friday, Aug. 25, to turn themselves in. Legal experts believe they'll face a very different booking process than other detainees.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
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