South Fulton, Georgia – The South Fulton (GA) Mayor was arrested Saturday morning after entering a house he says he mistakenly believed was abandoned. Fox News reported that Khalid Kamau was charged with criminal trespass and burglary in the first degree. He was booked into the Fulton County Jail and was released Saturday night after posting an $11,000 bond.
“I do want to thank the South Fulton police and the staff of officers for their courteous and professional service throughout the day,” Kamau told reporters as he left the jail.
Citing the “courteous and professional service” he received by law enforcement, Kamau would not speak about the charges when talking to reporters and the police department did not discuss the details of the arrest.
“The City of South Fulton is committed to upholding the law and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their position, are subject to the same fair and just treatment,” the City of South Fulton said in a statement. “As the investigation is still ongoing, we are unable to provide further details at this time.”
Kamau explained that he was interested in looking at a house he believed was abandoned.
“I just wanted to see the house,” Kamau told Fox 5 Atlanta. “I do apologize to the owners. I thought it was abandoned.”
Sources told Fox 5 Atlanta that the property owner held Kamau at gunpoint until cops arrived but that was not confirmed by law enforcement.
As officers were escorting the mayor to a police cruiser, the mayor said that he hopes “that the spotlight on our city right now will highlight some of the inequities that have been happening.”
Kamau did not give details on the “inequities.” South Fulton is the Blackest city in the United States among cities with populations over 100,000 people, according to the 2020 Census. Nearly 92% of its residents are Black. According to WABE, the entire city council and staff of the mayor are also black.
Kamau was sworn in as mayor in January 2022 and describes himself as a socialist.
In 2016, Kamau was one of the founders of Atlanta Black Lives Matter.
