Two armed men robbed patrons and employees Wednesday morning at Augustine’s, an Atlanta bar operating out of the same building where a beloved bartender was shot and killed in 2009.
Augustine's, which bills itself as "Grant Park's best neighborhood bar," does business at 327 Memorial Drive, the former home of Standard Food and Spirits. It was there that popular bartender John Henderson was murdered during a January 2009 robbery.
Wednesday’s incident was harrowing, no doubt, but the result was not tragic.
Atlanta police officers were dispatched to Augustine’s at about 12:10 a.m. Wednesday, department spokeswoman Officer Kim Jones said. A patron told them he was sitting at the bar when he saw a suspect “walk behind the bar and grab the bartender … by the arm and point a gun at her.”
While that suspect was taking money from the register, another demanded items from customers, witnesses told police. That suspect had a gun tucked in his waistband.
A total of five victims were reported, in addition to the restaurant itself. The bar’s owner reportedly told authorities that the establishment has surveillance cameras, but footage was not immediately accessible.
“I’m sure our investigators are going over any video that may have been obtained,” Jones said.
Both suspects were wearing dark “fleece styled hoodies,” Jones said.
No further information was released. Reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, an Augustine’s employee declined to speak and said no one present during the robbery was at the restaurant.
On Jan. 7, 2009, four members of the 30 Deep gang stormed into what was then Standard Food and Spirits, shooting Henderson, a 27-year-old bartender, in the head during the robbery.
Prosecutors have said they suspect Johnquavious Hood fired the fatal shot but authorities have not been able to charge him with murder. Despite that, he's spent much of the last four years in prison, serving time for aggravated assault and gang offenses, as well as a subsequent probation violation.
His current release date is scheduled for April 23, 2018.
The only suspect to be convicted in connection with Henderson’s murder, Jonathan Redding, was convicted in March 2011 and sentenced to life plus 20 years.
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