Atlanta police are looking for a robber who pushed a paraplegic man out of his wheelchair in order to steal from him.
Jaferrell Jenkins, 28, who was born with cerebral palsy, was just a block away from his northwest Atlanta home Wednesday afternoon when a man attacked him from behind on Joseph Lowery Boulevard.
“A guy runs up behind me, pushes me out of my chair, takes my cellphone, and just, it happened so fast, I didn’t even get the chance to scream for help or anything,” Jenkins said.
The attacker left Jenkins face down on the cold concrete. Jenkins used his upper body strength to get himself back into the wheelchair, made it home and called 911.
Jenkins said this isn’t the first time he’s been targeted. Two years ago, a robber attacked him in the same place, but stole something much more valuable – a gold chain that his father gave him before he died.
Jenkins said the two robberies have left him devastated.
“It made me feel like, what did I do to this person for them to do that?” Jenkins said.
After seeing Jenkins' story on WSBTV.com, a manager at a Verizon store called Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes and offered to give Jenkins a brand-new phone.
“If I’m in a position to help somebody just by clicking a button, I’ll do that. Bad things happen to good people and if I can help somebody have a better day, I’m glad I’m able to do it,” Verizon manager Edward Thomas said.
Police said they’re taking Jenkins’ robbery seriously, and they’re asking the public for help to solve the crime. They are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at 404-577-TIPS. You can remain anonymous.
