An Atlanta homeowner is facing charges after shooting and wounding two teenage porch pirates, after catching them in the act of stealing his delivery.
Atlanta police say the shooting unfolded shortly after 3.30 p.m. in the Mays neighborhood, part of the Villages of Cascade townhome complex in the city’s western section.
Officers were dispatched following multiple reports of shots fired near the residential development.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told WXIA-TV that investigators believe the incident began as a property crime.
According to police, packages had been removed from a front porch when the homeowner stepped outside and discharged a firearm.
“Our investigation has determined that we believe a property crime was occurring — that some packages were being taken off of a front porch, which is not uncommon this time of year — and the homeowner did discharge his weapon to stop that,” Schierbaum stated.
Authorities said two juveniles were struck by gunfire. A 15-year-old was shot in the foot, while a 16-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
WXIA reported that the older teen underwent surgery and was later expected to survive. Police provided an update confirming he had made it through the procedure.
Investigators said the two teens had been taking packages from a townhome when the homeowner exited the residence and opened fire.
Police later identified the shooter as Rakim Bradford, a 34-year-old IHOP cook who lived in the community.
According to an arrest warrant, Bradford told a co-worker that he had come to the door to retrieve a delivery and saw three teenagers that he believed were attempting to steal it.
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The warrant states that Bradford called the co-worker after the shooting and said he had been cleaning his gun when he received a message that his delivery had arrived.
The co-worker told police that Bradford claimed he went outside holding the firearm and that it “went off.”
He reportedly believed he struck one of the teens in the back as they ran from the scene.
One of the juveniles later admitted to police that they saw a white van drop off a delivery at the townhouse and decided to take the package, according to the arrest warrant.
After the shots were fired, Bradford fled the residence and was not present when officers arrived. Authorities said he later turned himself in at a police station.
As part of the investigation, officers executed a search warrant at Bradford’s townhouse within the gated Villages of Cascade community.
“That search warrant is allowing us to gather evidence, is allowing us to gain clarity,” Schierbaum told WXIA.
They said one shell casing was recovered during the search of the scene. Investigators have not clarified how many shots were fired.
Schierbaum said the department’s response reflected broader concerns about gun violence and the serious nature of the injuries.
“The Atlanta Police Department takes gun violence very seriously. It’s been the charge of Mayor [Andre] Dickens to address gun violence in our city; that’s why you see a robust response,” he commented.
“But anytime a child is injured in our city, we really take that seriously. And we want to make sure we know what’s happening as individuals being held accountable.”
Bradford was charged last week with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Nubian Barnes, who lives nearby, told WSB-TV that she could understand Bradford’s frustration but questioned the decision to fire.
“I can. But to shoot them. I don’t know. I just don’t feel he should have shot him,” Barnes said.
She added that the situation could have ended far worse. “And then he would have been facing murder charges. All because of a package that probably didn’t cost that much. Definitely didn’t cost a human life.”
While the Atlanta case unfolded, authorities in California were investigating a separate incident involving a brazen porch pirate.
In Irvine, police said a suspect obtained a laptop from a UPS driver by posing as the homeowner.
The package was intended for Sylvons Iyavoo, according to the Irvine Police Department.
Security video obtained by CBS News shows a man wearing a white shirt pacing along the sidewalk as a UPS truck approached Iyavoo’s home.
Police said the suspect may have used false identification to convince the driver he was the intended recipient.
“The driver also told me the same person stopped him like two streets before and asked him for the package,” Iyavoo told CBS.
“The driver told him, ‘you got to be at home to get the package.’ But still, I’m pretty baffled that he handed over the package on the street. And I also had instructions that it needs to be handed over on the porch.”
Iyavoo said the driver later told him the suspect showed photo identification bearing the same name and address as those on the delivery slip.
Irvine police spokesperson Kyle Oldoerp said the department had not independently confirmed that detail.
Video also captured the UPS driver questioning Iyavoo about the suspect outside the house, with the homeowner initially believing the man may have been receiving his own delivery.
A similar confrontation was caught on doorbell video in Florida late last month, when a FedEx driver intervened to stop a suspected porch theft in Hialeah.
Footage shared online shows a man approaching the FedEx driver, who was standing on a homeowner’s porch with packages that included new iPhones, WPLG-TV reported.
Police said the man claimed to be the homeowner and attempted to take the delivery.
The driver asked the man to prove his identity. In the full video, posted on Only in Dade, the driver can be heard saying, “No. Who are you? No, open the door,” as the man continued up the driveway.
When the driver raised his cell phone, apparently to record, the man stopped, turned around, and walked away.
“I don’t know you,” the driver said, adding, “I’m gonna call the police.”
The real homeowner, identified only as Anthony, was watching remotely and can be heard on the video asking, “Hey! What’s going on?” as the driver followed the man back down the driveway.
The FedEx driver then ran back toward the porch, shouting “Yo!” before knocking and alerting Anthony that someone had been “trying to steal” the delivery.
Anthony told WPLG that the driver confronted the suspect, saying, “If you do live here, open the door and show me some ID, and I’ll give you the phones.'”
The suspect was later seen driving away in a red Hyundai, according to the station.
“That FedEx driver was already able to capture a picture of his car and his tag,” Hialeah Police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez told WPLG.
“We want to know if this man is responsible for other theft packages in the city of Hialeah.”
