SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — The mayor of the City of South Fulton was arrested, according to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.
The office has confirmed City of South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau's arrest, adding that he was taken to its jail. However, the office specified that the mayor was arrested by the South Fulton Police Department, not Fulton County deputies.
Records from the office show that Kamau was taken into custody on criminal trespassing and burglary in the first degree.
Kamau was released from jail on an $11,000 bond Saturday evening, according to jail records. The bond states he must stay away from the home he allegedly trespassed and burglarized which was located at 6000 Cascade Palmetto Highway in Fairburn.
Additionally, he must undergo a necessary mental health evaluation due to the "circumstances of the warrant." The record shows that Kamau will be forced to follow the treatment plan.
Authorities have not provided any details on the specifics of the crimes.
In the wake of his arrest, City of South Fulton councilwoman Natasha Williams-Brown will now be mayor pro tem, 11Alive learned.
"It really will be business as usual when City Hall opens Monday morning," Williams-Brown told 11Alive during a phone interview. "We will continue following the charter. We will continue with following our ordinances and resolutions, the same way that we have been."
South Fulton has had a few cycles of controversy since Kamau took office. In February 2022, he vetoed police bonuses. In June 2022, city officials asked the Fulton County District Attorney to look into Kamau's credit card use. In July 2022, Kamau asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigations to investigate the city council for corruption.
Fast forward to 2023, five city council members filed a lawsuit to get Kamau out of office back in March. Later that month, the city manager resigned. In April, the mayor's Easter egg hunt was shut down. And just last month, an online petition surfaced to de-annex a part of South Fulton, with supporters calling the city government "dysfunctional."
Williams-Brown said she's ready and confident for the position — however long that may be. She just asks the citizens of South Fulton to remain steadfast.
"If I get called upon to do any official actions as the acting mayor that's what I will do, until such time as Mayor Khalid returns to duty," Williams-Brown continued. "The city is in good hands."
A statement from the City of South Fulton was released:
"The City of South Fulton is committed to upholding the law and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their position, are subject to the same fair and just treatment. As the investigation is still ongoing, we are unable to provide further details at this time."
A court appearance for Kamau has been scheduled for September 12.
11Alive will provide updates as more information is available.
More about Khalid Kamau
City of South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau took office in January of 2022 and has been a big proponent of tackling crime and creating economic opportunities.
Mayor Khalid Kamau often refers to South Fulton as the blackest city in America, with 92% of residents identifying as African American, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
“My top three goals are a forensic audit of the city’s finances and contracts. I want to create an office of the public advocate. We want to create public boards and commissions for legislation so that all legislation goes through a committee process similar to Atlanta, Augusta, Macon," Kamau said.
Most recently, the Kamau joined 11Alive at our Black Youth Town Hall to discuss many topics, including education options and staying safe on the streets this summer.
Editor's note: The story previously used Khalid Kamau's preferred spelling of "khalid kamau," but was updated to reflect jail records.