No bond for man charged with shooting Atlanta cop

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By Alexis Stevens and Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A judge denied bond Monday for a 29-year-old man charged with shooting an off-duty Atlanta police officer.

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office Atibi Thomas, 29, is charged with shooting an Atlanta police officer.

Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Police Department Officer Keith Roach, 31, was shot when he interrupted a robbery Saturday, authorities said.

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Atibi Thomas remains in the Fulton County Jail, charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Police say Thomas shot Officer Keith Roach, who interrupted a robbery Saturday afternoon.

Roach, wounded in his arms and stomach, is in stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital and is expected to survive, Maj. Keith Meadows told the AJC.

The incident started near the intersection of Lee and Oak streets, near I-20 in southwest Atlanta, where three men were supposed to be meeting another man to purchase tire rims, Meadows said.

"They elected to rob him instead of purchasing the rims," Meadows said.

Roach, who was still in his uniform, saw the altercation and tried to intervene, but was struck as shots were fired, Meadows said. The officer was shot in both arms and stomach, but was wearing a bullet-proof vest, police said.

The incident then moved to the parking lot of the nearby Popeye's restaurant, where two men began physically attacking Roach, Meadows said. Witnesses attempted to break up the altercation prior to the arrival of uniformed officers, he said.

Police initially detained three people, but only Thomas has been charged.

Roach, 31, has been employed with Atlanta police for four years.

Thomas' lawyer told WSB-TV that he was the robbery victim and he thought Roach was trying to ambush him.

Thomas is scheduled to appear in court again on June 14.