SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — The City of South Fulton council members gathered on Tuesday for their scheduled meeting, marking the first official gathering since the arrest and release of Mayor Khalid Kamau on accusations of trespassing and burglary.
But despite the incident, it was business as usual for the city officials.
During the meeting, media outlets approached council members to comment on the mayor's arrest. However, a city employee physically blocked the media, stating, "They're not taking any questions right now." Each council member was personally escorted out of the work session to prevent them from answering inquiries regarding the Khalid Kamau incident.
Many residents hoped that city officials would address the mayor's arrest. Still, the matter was only briefly mentioned by Mayor Kamau, who said it was not the appropriate time to discuss the issue.
“I came here tonight just to see how the meeting would run after all the drama over the weekend, and I have to say right now it’s running pretty smooth,” Kalvin Bennett, a resident in South Fulton, said.
But for a lot of residents attending the meeting, that was not enough to gain some clarity or anything following the weekend drama. Some residents, such as Malcolm Whichard, shared their concerns and called for a more transparent approach.
“I don’t think the city was moving in the right direction before the incident happened. I think the situation needs to be addressed," she said. "I think it needs to be discussed, and I think someone needs to call into question why the person that held a gun to the city mayor has not been arrested."
While many seek answers and accountability, others, like long-time South Fulton residents, believe the city has endured enough negative publicity. Robinson-Herring, another South Fulton resident, expressed her frustration with the mayor.
"This was, for me, the straw that broke the camel's back," she said, adding, "So I honestly think the mayor needs to step down."
Further investigation by 11Alive revealed that the mayor is not the only individual arrested and charged with burglary for entering the property at 6000 Cascade Palmetto Highway in Fairburn. The realtor who oversees the property is battling an arrest in court, and they declined to comment.
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“It’s an odd situation, just as Khalid has been speaking up against the police department and possible corruption within the government, and then this happens," Whichard said.
The City of South Fulton council members are scheduled to reconvene next week on Tuesday. However, it is unclear whether the matter surrounding Mayor Khalid Kamau's arrest will be addressed during that meeting.