Atlanta police charged a 54-year-old convicted felon with murder after a 29-year-old man was fatally stabbed on the Atlanta BeltLine.
Officers responded at 4:01 p.m. Sunday to 725 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, where they found Ramon Harris with a stab wound to the neck. The Atlanta Police Department said Harris was taken to a hospital and later died. Officers detained Jonathan Hamby at the scene and recovered a knife believed used in the attack.
An arrest warrant says Hamby argued with two men, threatened to stab them and then lunged at Harris. Witness Jessica Redd told FOX 5 Atlanta that Hamby was holding two knives. Bystanders rushed to help Harris while Hamby remained nearby, witnesses said.
Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Hamby had 30 arrest cycles, was a convicted felon and was on probation for aggravated assault. Court records reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution show Hamby pleaded guilty in 2020 after being accused of stabbing another man in 2017. He received a 20-year sentence, with three years counted as time served and 17 years on probation.
The AJC noted some prior charges were dismissed or reduced. It reported Hamby underwent mental health evaluations and was declared incompetent during the case. A later probation-violation allegation was dismissed in November 2025 after the state did not petition the court.
Mayor Andre Dickens ordered a review of BeltLine patrols, camera coverage and emergency response. He said the killing raises broader questions about behavioral health, repeat offenders and public safety.
The case marks the second deadly BeltLine stabbing this year. A 23-year-old woman was killed in a separate May attack.
Hamby waived his first court appearance and is due back Sept. 15. He faces aggravated assault, terroristic threats and a knife charge. The allegations have not been proven in court.
