Local

Loaded gun found on inmate arriving at Fulton County Jail

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that a jail intake officer found a loaded gun on an inmate arriving at the Fulton County jail.

A police officer possibly failed to spot the gun before bringing the man in.

Fulton County Sheriff’s detention Officer Darren Green said James Blake had a fully loaded gun still on him when Green searched him and discovered it in the jail intake area. Blake also had a gun permit on him.

“I was concerned about the safety of the officer who brought him in,” he said.

Channel 2’s Mark Winne asked Blake about the gun.

TRENDING STORIES:

“Did you have a gun with you when you were brought into the jail?” Winne asked.

“I’d rather not say,” Blake said.

“Would you have harmed anybody with the gun?" Winne asked.

“No, sir,” Blake said.

Atlanta police Maj. Scott Kreher said officers had arrested Blake on burglary and other charges after a brief foot chase.

Kreher said officers did a great job of catching the suspect, but not as good of a job searching him.

“Well, we’re certainly going to investigate that. Internal affairs was called immediately,” he said.

Jail Maj. Kenneth Walker said by using enhanced search procedures, jail intake officers have in recent months found lots of drugs and other dangerous items on arriving inmates that arresting officers from a variety of departments missed.

“Intake is where everything starts at the Fulton County Jail, and if this area is compromised, the whole jail is compromised,” he said.

Winne asked Kreher if search procedures need to be revisited.

“I think it’s premature to say that. I think we need to look at the circumstances of the case individually and see where the breakdown was,” he said.