DeKalb man accused of armed robbery spree set up through Facebook Marketplace
A man who officials said set up a series of violent armed robberies in DeKalb County by luring victims with a Facebook Marketplace ad was arrested Wednesday on 11 felony counts related to the nearly two-month spree.
Regi Knight, 35, of Decatur, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Georgia State Patrol SWAT unit on Wednesday afternoon, DeKalb police said. Knight was tracked down in Atlanta by the federal agency at the request of DeKalb police.
According to a Marshals Service spokesman, Knight was injured when he fled through the back window of an Atlanta apartment complex during his arrest. He was bitten by a K-9 and taken to the hospital once he was in federal custody.
Just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Knight was booked into the DeKalb jail on a laundry list of offenses, which include four counts each of aggravated assault and armed robbery, as well as carjacking, criminal attempt to commit a felony and a gun charge. He is being held without bond.
According to DeKalb police, Knight created a Facebook Marketplace ad for a 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. When potential buyers responded to the ads, Knight allegedly robbed them at gunpoint. He is charged in at least four incidents that took place between late November and early January, each of them resulting in aggravated assault and armed robbery charges.
During each encounter, Knight became increasingly violent and fired shots at all of his victims, the Marshals Service spokesman said. Three victims were hit but are expected to survive.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a restaurant critic and food reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covers Atlanta’s restaurants, chefs and dining culture. As part of the AJC’s Food & Dining team, he reviews new restaurants, reports on industry trends and explores metro Atlanta’s culinary scene through the neighborhoods and people that shape it.
