DeKalb deputies suspended after "unprofessional" arrest

DECATUR, Ga. -- The DeKalb County Sheriff office is taking disciplinary action against deputies after an arrest made in July.

According to a press release from the Sheriff's Department, one Deputy Sheriff Sergeant is being demoted, if he does not retire as previously planned, and three other deputies are suspended.  The names of the employees are being withheld until they are served with their disciplinary actions. 

Sheriff Tom Brown has planned a press conference to explain the punishments in the morning.  A local civil rights group plans to protest the punishments for what they say is a lack of severity.  

In addition, the Sheriff has implemented new policies and procedures to determine the time of day certain Civil warrants will be executed by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office. 

Sheriff deputies were serving a contempt of court order on Natania Griffin in July. She was a party to a lawsuit and ordered to pay some fees which, according to a warrant, she never paid.

Her family shot video of the arrest. Deputies confirm they showed up at her house in Ellenwood at 1:30 in the morning. They were there to arrest the woman for failing to pay the court a thousand dollars.

The YouTube video shows a lot of foul language and some jostling with the woman's grown children. DeKalb's chief sheriff's deputy says some of the language deputies used was unprofessional-- but not the show of force at 1:30 in the morning.

"That's appropriate," said chief deputy Jeffrey Mann. "I don't have any concern with the time that they showed up at the residence. We serve, execute warrants 24 hours a day."    

Mann says the residents called 911 and the 911 operators assured them the deputies at the door were authentic. The family finally let the deputies in after 30 minutes, Mann says, and the woman was arrested.

Family members didn't respond to requests for comment.

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Man dies after fall at Turner Field

ATLANTA -- Authorities are investigating a man's death after falling from a platform at Turner Field on Monday evening. 

According to Atlanta Police, the man fell about 65 ft. from a platform to a private parking lot shortly after 8:30 p.m. during the Braves games against the Phillies. 

The Braves issued a statement, saying: 

There was an accident earlier tonight at Turner Field with a spectator falling from the upper level. The spectator has been transported to the hospital. The Atlanta Police Department are investigating and we refer all media inquiries to them at this time.

The man was transported to Atlanta Medical Center where he later died from injuries sustained during the fall. 

No word on what caused the fall. No further information was immediately available. 

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Arrest made in fatal Underground Atlanta shooting

ATLANTA -- Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with a fatal shooting at Underground Atlanta on Monday evening. 

The incident took place around 4 p.m. on Alabama Street. 

According to Atlanta Police, the shooting stemmed from an argument that began inside Underground Atlanta. 

Late Monday night, police arrested Brandon Barnes, 25.

"Atlanta police detectives were able to ascertain probable cause to charge him with Murder," said Officer John Chafee. Chafee said Barnes was taken to the Fulton County Jail.

Apparently, the victim and and a group of individuals were fighting, the fight spilled outside and several shots were fired. The victim was transported to Grady Memorial where he later died from his wounds. 

Authorities said the victim looks to be in his early twenties. His identification has not been released pending notification of next-of-kin. 

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Pedestrian killed in car accident

ATLANTA -- A fatal pedestrian crash took place Sunday morning on Peachtree Road north of Dresden Drive.

Sarah Christy Gilliland, age 35, from Atlanta, was the victim of the accident, which took place at 2:39 a.m. when she stepped into the right lane of Peachtree Road and into the path of a northbound 2006 BMW 750i.

The accident did not take place in a crosswalk.

Harvey Jerome Bellamy, age 34, of Roswell, was driving the vehicle.

Gilliland was transported to Grady, where she was pronounced dead.

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Six people being treated for carbon monoxide exposure

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- Six people are being treated for carbon monoxide exposure at an apartment complex in DeKalb County.

Four adults and two children are currently being treated by paramedics. 

Hazmat crews are on the scene. 

The incident took place at 1607 Marquis Bridge Apartments in Stone Mountain. 

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Family remembers fallen DeKalb Police Officer

DeKalb Police Officer Ivorie Klusmann was killed early Saturday morning when his car ran off the road and slammed into a tree.

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. -- Driving through the quiet subdivision in north Henry County, it wasn't difficult to find the home of Officer Ivorie Klusmann's family.

The street in front of the house was lined with cars - family and friends coming to pay their respects and support the family. Among the parked cars, guarding the front door, sat a DeKalb County Police car.

That car, or one like it, has been a permanent fixture at the home since early Saturday morning, when Chief Cedric Alexander arrived to break the heartbreaking news: Officer Klusmann was dead. Killed when the police car he was driving ran off DeKalb Medical Parkway and slammed into a tree.

RELATED: DeKalb Police Officer killed in overnight crash

PHOTOS: DeKalb Officer killed in car accident

It only took Dianna Blue a few minutes to realize why she'd been awakened in the middle of the night.

"You see blue, white lights taking up the street. You have two sons on the police force," Blue said. "My husband said 'have a seat.' And when he said [that], the first thing I said - which one?"

Surprisingly, Blue said she never worried about her two police officer sons. 

"I tell my sons every day when they leave out for work, I tell them I love them and always tell them to be safe," she said.

It was a new message for Klusmann. The 31-year-old officer had just graduated from the police academy in April. He joined his brother, three year veteran Elisha Blue, on the DeKalb Police Force.

"I was extremely proud of him," his brother said. "He had always heard about the stories I'd told him, the things that you see at work. And he wanted to be part of that."

DeKalb police still don't know what caused the officer's car to run off the road early Saturday morning. 

Chief Alexander said Klusmann had pulled a driver over and taken his information when the driver sped off. Klusmann began to chase him, but was told to stop per department policy. When he heard a radio call that another officer had stopped the same driver, Klusmann began to head in that direction. 

He never arrived; his car slammed into a tree. Klusmann was killed at the scene.

Dianna Blue said as a mother, she has one message for the driver:

"If you would've never took off, my baby would be coming through the front door every day," she said.

To his family, Klusmann's legacy will be his two young boys: Iverson, age six, and five-year-old Julian.

And, of course, that smile.

"He had the most beautiful smile," his mother said through tears. "An incredible smile that just makes a person want to melt. 

"And that will be missed."

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Georgia's sales tax holiday runs through Saturday

ATLANTA -- Shoppers were busy on Friday taking advantage of Georgia's sales tax holiday, which saved them from six to eight percent on their purchases, depending on the local sales tax where they shopped.

READ | List of what's tax free Friday and Saturday

"I'm here to beat the traffic, beat the crowds, get my tax-free shopping on and get all the stuff my daughter needs for preschool," said Tiffany Griggs.

The sales tax holiday extends through Saturday, but it doesn't include Sunday.

Shoppers can save on school supplies that cost less than $20 per item, clothing that costs less than $100 per item and computers that cost less than $1000.

The list of tax-free is specific and a bit quirky. For example, paper is included but envelopes are not. Scarves are included, but purses are not. Computer batteries are included but regular batteries are not.

You can go through the state's list and fact sheet here.  

The National Retail federation says $26.7 billion will be spent nationwide in back to school shopping this year.  An average of $635 per family on school supplies, clothing and electronics.

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Perseid meteor shower to light up night sky this weekend

Astronaut Ron Garan looks down on a Perseid meteor from the International Space Station. (Photo: Ron Garan / NASA)

Put out the lawn chair, set the alarm and maybe bring something to wet your whistle while you gaze into the nighttime sky - the year's best shooting star show has started.

August's annual Perseids meteor shower peaks Sunday and Monday, promising perhaps 70 meteors an hour those evenings.

"The Perseids are the good ones," says meteorite expert Bill Cooke of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

The Perseids take their name from their apparent origin in the constellation Perseus, the hero of ancient Greek myth born from a shower of heavenly gold. Known for producing fireballs that might streak across a third of the sky, they owe their brilliance to the speed - nearly 134,000 mph - with which they smack into the upper atmosphere. "It's also because of the size of the meteors," Cooke says. The dust grains are about one-fifth of an inch across and burn nicely as they zip overhead.

Those dust grains come courtesy of Comet Swift-Tuttle, which circles the sun once every 133 years and leaves behind a debris trail. (Comets are basically dirty snowballs that develop tails when they approach the sun and start to melt. Different ones are responsible for other regular meteor showers, such as April's Lyrids, brought by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and November's Leonids brought by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.)

You will have to stay up late to see the Perseids at their peak; the best viewing comes from midnight to dawn, particularly after the half-full moon sets at 1 a.m. on Monday, says Astronomy magazine's Michael Bakich. But they should appear at night during the week before and after the peak as well.

"Get out of the city and the lights to give yourself a chance to see them," Bakich says. The rule of thumb is that you should be able to see all the stars of the Big Dipper - seven stars if you are counting - to give yourself enough darkness to catch the shooting stars. And give your eyes an hour to adjust.

"There will be a dozen 'ooh' moments in that hour," Bakich says. "Ones when everyone will say, 'Did you see that?'"

Although the shooting stars seem to come from the constellation Perseus, don't look there to see them, Bakich advises. Instead, look about one-third of the sky down and away from the constellation to spot meteors streaking across the sky. "That makes them easier to pick out," he says.

While you are enjoying the sky show, satellite operators are buttoning up spacecraft to protect them from the onslaught of comet dust, says Cooke, who prepares meteor shower forecasts each year for space businesses. While the 2013 Perseid shower won't affect the Hubble Space Telescope, according to Janet Anderson of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at other times it might point the opening to its mirrors away from the direction of an outburst of meteors. Other satellites might turn vulnerable antennas away from them as well.

Clouds permitting, Cooke advises skywatchers this year to take their time and enjoy the nighttime show. "All you need is to lie flat on your back, and the reward is meteors."

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Sheriff confirms: DiMaggio dead, teen safe in manhunt

James Lee DiMaggio, 40, is wanted for the alleged abduction of Hannah Anderson, 16. San Diego sheriff Bill Gore said the pair were spotted in a remote area of Idaho by campers at mid-week. (Photo: San Diego Sheriff's Department/AP)

(USA Today) -- California murder and kidnapping suspect James DiMaggio has been killed and teen Hannah Anderson is safe, San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said at a press conference.

"It truly was a joint effort and I am pleased to stand here to day and say that Hannah was successfully rescued and appears to be in pretty good shape," Gore says.

Hannah's father was notified. "Obviously he's elated what we found his daughter is alive and plans are being made now to reunite him with his daughter hopefully tomorrow morning," Gore says. "He was very relieved and very excited and looking forward to being reunited with his daughter."

Some 200 law enforcement officials – mostly FBI agents – had descended on a 320-square-mile area of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area, a mostly roadless, rugged, heavily wooded forest in central Idaho about 70 miles northeast of Boise.

Teams from the Valley County and Ada County Sheriff's departments, U.S Marshals Service, Homeland Security, Border Patrol, Idaho Army National Guard and Idaho State Police were part of the search-and-rescue operations. Their efforts were hindered by the area's rough terrain, lack of vehicle access and cellphone coverage, says Andrea Dearden, an Ada County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman. She would not say if drones or infrared devices are being used.

Rescue teams were expected to pull back from their search at nightfall before resuming early Sunday, Deaden said.

DiMaggio's Nissan Versa, covered with brush and missing its California license plates, was found about five miles from a trailhead into the area Friday morning. Authorities had suspected the car may have been booby-trapped, but no explosives were found in or around the vehicle by a Boise Police Department bomb squad. DiMaggio is considered armed and dangerous, authorities say.

The discovery of his car came two days after a man on horseback reported seeing DiMaggio and 16-year-old Hannah in hiking gear and backpacks. Idaho authorities say the rider didn't realize the pair were being sought until he got home and recognized them on news reports.

The San Diego Sheriff's Dept. says it appears that DiMaggio, 40, kidnapped Hannah after killing her mother, Christina Anderson, and her brother, Ethan, last weekend. Their bodies were found in DiMaggio's burning California home near the Mexican border Sunday. On Friday night, San Diego County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the remains found in the home matched the DNA of Ethan, 8.

The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area was named after the late four-term Idaho senator, a Boise native who sought the Democratic nomination for president in 1976. At more than 2.3 million acres, it's the second-largest protected wilderness area outside of Alaska., coursing through mountain ranges, deep canyons and the middle fork of the Salmon River, a popular waterway for rafting, kayaking and fishing.

DiMaggio, a friend of the Andersons, is an experienced outdoorsman, according to Hannah's father, Brett Anderson, who was separated from his wife and had moved to Tennessee for work. He and DiMaggio, a Scripps Research Institute telecommunications technician, met about 20 years ago.

Authorities say DiMaggio is "infatuated" with Hannah.

Brett Anderson said earlier this week that DiMaggio had promised to watch over his family and that his kids had referred to him as "Uncle Jim."

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Dramatic video from ATM smash and grab

U-Haul truck explodes into store entrance

ELLENWOOD, Ga -- Another business was hit by smash and grab burglars after cash machines. Henry County Police said the suspects who smashed into a convenience store in Ellenwood August 3rd may be the same suspects who smashed into a CVS pharmacy in McDonough five days earlier.

"It's a similar type incident," said Sgt. Joey Smith. "The physical features of the suspects are similar to the previous video."

On August 3, 2013 two suspects backed a U-Haul truck into the Shell convenience store on Fairview Road in Ellenwood. They tried to steal a cash machine by tying a chain around it but the chain was too short to reach the bumper of the truck, according to police.

The suspects drove out of the store and left without anything, but they left a lot of damage behind. "It will cost thirty to forty thousand dollars to fix," said store owner Naveen Kotha.

Kotha said the damage to his store is far more than what was in his cash machine. "There was probably like a thousand, two thousand dollars maybe," he said.

Henry County Police investigators said the surveillance video from Kotha's store shows two suspects that look very familiar to them. Five days earlier two suspect rammed a stolen pickup truck through the front entrance of a CVS Pharmacy in McDonough.

Surveillance video from CVS shows two suspects backing a truck through the front entrance and then ramming a cash machine. But they were unsuccessful again and left without anything. Police said the suspects caused more than $20,000 in damage at the pharmacy.

The suspects wore masks over their faces in the second burglary attempt. "They're probably watching the video on the media and learning from their mistakes," Sgt. Smith said.

"I'm sure they'll continue until their caught that's why we would like to reach out to the public," he said. "Someone surely knows that these individuals are doing this crime and hopefully they would come forward with some information."

If you know who they are call Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477).

You can follow Kevin on Twitter@kgrowson

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