Federal officials, since the start of June, have now brought charges against two men accused in separate violent incidents on MARTA properties.
The latest filing is against Anthony Gresham, a 42-year-old felon who allegedly shot and wounded a teenager at the Midtown station Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced Tuesday.
Gresham, who also faces charges out of Fulton County, is charged in federal court with committing an act of violence with intent to cause serious bodily injury on a mass transportation system, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“My office and federal law enforcement will continue to lean in and partner with local agencies to hold criminals accountable for violent attacks on MARTA, a critical component of Atlanta’s transportation infrastructure that is subsidized by federal funds,” U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said in a news release. “Gresham was allegedly undeterred by decades of prosecution for robberies, drug trafficking, and other crimes, which compounds the need for federal intervention in this case.”
Last week, the Trump administration launched a probe into MARTA after a woman was stabbed to death on a train May 30. The suspect in that case, John Elijah Matthews, also faces a federal charge, officials announced June 2.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
Gresham was arrested Sunday in Douglas County after a weekend search. Officials said he was spotted as he walked along a road by the FBI’s Atlanta Metro Major Offender Task Force. He fled into a wooded area and was eventually taken into custody, authorities stated.
In Fulton, authorities said Gresham faces charges of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Surveillance footage revealed glimpses into the Friday shooting.
According to the federal criminal complaint obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gresham attempted to enter the Midtown station just before 7 p.m. but had to reload his fare card. The 17-year-old victim arrived at the station after Gresham on a Georgia Tech bus, the complaint states.
After tapping his MARTA card, federal officials said Gresham looked back at the victim. Both then continued inside the station, and the teen sat on a bench and waited for the train, the document details.
The victim boarded a train car, and Gresham walked to the car immediately behind that one. Then Gresham turned around, walked into the victim’s train car and fired three shots while the train was still stopped, according to the complaint.
The teen had gunshot wounds to his arm and leg, police said.
The U.S. Department of Justice described Gresham as a man with a “lengthy” criminal history, including convictions in multiple counties for various incidents. Those include robbery and burglary convictions dating back to 2004 in Fulton County, a drug-related conviction in Newton County in 2010, and aggravated assault and armed robbery in Douglas County in 2012, the federal complaint details.
According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, Gresham was most recently released in November.
MARTA police Chief Scott Kreher said in a statement he supports the addition of federal charges.
“The riders who depend on MARTA, and the officers who work to protect them, deserve to see violent offenders held accountable,” the chief said.
About a week before that shooting, 66-year-old Margaret Swan was stabbed to death on a train at MARTA’s Oakland City station. Officials called the attack “unprovoked” and said, according to an arrest warrant, Matthews approached Swan, drew a knife and slashed her throat.
Matthews, 25, faces a federal charge of committing an act of violence causing death on a mass transportation system. In Fulton, he is charged with murder and first-degree cruelty to children.
According to a June 2 news release from the DOJ, Swan was a “beloved” great-grandmother just trying to get to her destination.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
MARTA has faced recent criticism about safety ahead of the FIFA World Cup’s bright global spotlight and influx of visitors. Atlanta hosts the city’s first of eight games June 15.
“Atlantans and the many people who will soon visit for the FIFA World Cup deserve to travel free from fear of a violent attack. We will not tolerate murder and mayhem on MARTA, and anyone who uses a dangerous weapon to seriously injure or kill on public transportation may face swift and unrelenting federal prosecution,” Hertzberg said last week.
The Federal Transit Administration investigation into MARTA seeks to uncover what the agency does to prevent crime and make sure all passengers have paid fares, something the system has struggled to prevent for years. MARTA police previously said Matthews had not paid to be on the train that day.
MARTA spokesperson Stephany Fisher said last week the agency has made “significant investments in personnel, technology and operational measures,” adding they “support safety and security across our entire system.” She said MARTA welcomed the opportunity to share information with federal officials.
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