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Caught with his pants down, why wasn't he arrested?
A man was caught on camera pleasuring himself in his car with the windows rolled down in the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Atlanta. A concerned resident who reported the situation said police told her the man could not be charged because he wasn't committing a crime. FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Joi Dukes has more information on this incident.
ATLANTA - In Atlanta’s Cabbagetown neighborhood, residents say they are fed up with what they’ve described as repeated incidents of "indecent exposure" over the years. One frustrated woman says police tell her it isn't a crime.
That female resident captured cellphone video of the most recent encounter where a man can be seen pleasuring himself near a popular part of the Beltline.
"We all know it’s a huge problem," Shannon G. told FOX 5 Atlanta. "It’s been going on for years."
Shannon says her quiet Friday evening walk on Wylie Street took a disturbing turn when she came across a man sitting in his car with his pants, and window, down.
FOX 5 Atlanta blurred the man’s face in the video because he has not been charged with anything. Shannon’s face was also blurred because of her concern for her own safety.
"His window was rolled down, he’s pulled right up to the curb," she explained. "He wanted us to see him."
Man caught pleasuring himself near the BeltLine (Credit: Shannon G.)
She tells FOX 5 the walking paths in the neighborhood that are surrounded by mural art have become a popular spot for outdoor activity, but have unwittingly drawn the wrong crowd.
"A lot of people come to this neighborhood to walk around and to see the art. I think they like that there’s a lot of foot traffic and a lot of people are seeing them in the act. I think that’s what they get off on," she said.
In the video, the woman can be seen approaching the car, then the man quickly pulls off after she confronts him. As horrifying of a discovery as it was, Shannon says it wouldn’t be the first time.
"I cannot count on one hand how many times I’ve witnessed this," she said. "The times that I’ve seen it, it’s more than one guy."
She tells FOX 5 when she called Atlanta police, she was stunned to learn that what he was doing "wasn’t a crime."
"He was in his car," she explained. "His car can be considered his dwelling, and because of that, he’s basically doing this within his own property."
Shannon tells FOX 5 she and other residents are concerned about the children who live nearby.
"There are kids that live in this neighborhood. If he were outside of a school, is this still not a crime?" she added.
She says she wants the perpetrators held responsible and plans to reach out to her representative on the Atlanta City Council about the issue.
"I want these individuals to get help. I think they need court ordered therapy, but that can’t happen unless they face consequences," she added.
FOX 5 has reached out to Atlanta Police for additional comment on this. We’re still waiting to hear back.
The Source: This is an original article by FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Joi Dukes. Information comes from an interview with Cabbagetown resident Shannon G. FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to the Atlanta Police Department for comment on the incident, but has not yet heard back.