For about the past 20 years, Thomas Arnold would frequently walk around the neighborhood near his Poncey-Highland home.
It was an area he knew well, near the Atlanta Beltline Eastside and Freedom Park trails. An area where his longtime friend, Greg Levine, never thought Arnold would be found dead.
Just a few weeks prior and a mile away from Saturday’s crime scene, Levine was walking through Freedom Park one day when he ran into Arnold. Levine, the co-executive director of Trees Atlanta, chatted with Arnold for a few minutes about a volunteer event he was planning.
The event, Levine said, was a typical neighborhood project that Arnold surely would have attended.
“He liked planting in neighborhoods and areas that he would go through a lot. ... I think Tom really enjoyed seeing the trees he planted,” Levine told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday via phone.
But Arnold never got to enjoy Saturday’s event. Atlanta officers were flagged about 7:45 a.m. and informed of a person lying in the area of Elizabeth Street and Bernina Avenue, just north of the thriving Inman Park restaurant district. Officers eventually found the 60-year-old shot at least once, police said.
It was not until later that day that Levine found out his friend was gone. A close friend reached out to pass on the news.
“He started off with, ‘I have some news I have to share with you,’” Levine said, reading the text messages. “I said, ‘I hope it’s good news,’ and he said, ‘No, it’s not.’ And then he just shared it very quickly. I guess there is no other way to do it.”
At that moment, Levine said he only felt loss.
The area where Arnold was shot is part of Levine’s commute to work. He said he usually bikes nearby but has not been able to since.
“I didn’t bike today, I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t feel comfortable,” he said.
In coping with the loss, Levine keeps coming back to moments when Arnold helped him with projects with Trees Atlanta. Arnold began volunteering when Levine was coordinating projects. He said that whenever he was desperate for volunteers, Arnold would usually find a way to make it out.
In November 2020, Arnold helped the nonprofit with a “Plantlanta” event, where he taught volunteers to perfectly plant trees. Levine said his friend was always meticulous and thorough.
Arnold’s family released a statement calling his death a “profound loss” and asking for the public to help the police investigation in any way possible, the AJC reported.
“Tom loved his adopted hometown of Atlanta and was a beloved member of the intown community since moving to the Poncey-Highland neighborhood in 2000. Tom will be remembered for his selflessness, his servant heart, and his genuine care for others. Whenever someone needed a helping hand, Tom was there to lend his,” the statement said. “The tragedy of his death leaves a hole in the lives of his loved ones and friends and darkens the light of the vibrant neighborhood of Inman Park and the Eastside Beltline Trail.”
Left with only a myriad of text messages from his friend and countless fond memories, Levine is still unable to wrap his head around the fact that Arnold is gone.
“It’s a completely ridiculous loss of life — of a good person. Some people just really don’t take life very seriously,” he said.
Police did not say if any suspect has been identified in the case or what led up to the shooting.
Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
