ATLANTA — The suspect accused of fatally stabbing a woman on the Atlanta Beltline and seriously injuring a postal worker had received mental health treatment through a diversion program less than two weeks before the attack, according to Atlanta police records reviewed by Channel 2 Action News.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln found that Jahmare Brown was referred to mental health services after allegedly threatening a man with a knife in downtown Atlanta 12 days before the Beltline stabbing.
According to an Atlanta police diversion report, the incident occurred on Peachtree Street when a man walking downtown greeted Brown by saying hello. The report states Brown responded by pulling out a knife, waving it and telling the man, “I will kill you.”
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When an officer arrived, Brown reportedly told them he was “spooked” by the greeting because he had been rapping to himself while holding the knife.
Rather than arrest Brown, the responding officer and the victim agreed he should be referred to the Fulton County Diversion Center for mental health services.
Twelve days later, investigators say Brown fatally stabbed a woman on the Atlanta Beltline and seriously injured a postal worker in a separate attack.
Advocates say the case has renewed scrutiny of Atlanta’s diversion programs and the availability of long-term mental health services for people in crisis.
“Crisis can hit people at any time,” said advocate Devin Barrington-Ward. “There is a large access to weapons, but there doesn’t seem like there’s a large access to services.”
Barrington-Ward said contract disputes involving the Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative, known as PAD, may have limited access to long-term case management services after some individuals completed diversion programs.
“They actually have not been inside the diversion center offering long-term case management,” Barrington-Ward said. “And this unfortunately seems to be one of the ramifications of that decision by the city to not honor the contract terms.”
Court and police records show Brown had several prior encounters with law enforcement. In 2025, he was charged with loitering and disorderly conduct on Georgia State University’s campus. In January, he pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman on MARTA.
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Georgia Tech police also documented reports that Brown was harassing women on campus one day before the Beltline attack.
In a statement, Atlanta police defended the department’s use of diversion programs and said officers continue to prioritize alternatives to arrest when appropriate.
“We want to be clear that the Atlanta Police Department remains fully committed to meaningful pre-arrest diversion efforts and to the effective use of the Center for Diversion & Services,” the department said. “We are encouraged by the positive outcomes we continue to see through this partnership-driven approach.”
Police said the city, Grady Health System and community organizations continue to operate the Center for Diversion & Services to reduce arrests for nonviolent offenses linked to mental health challenges, substance use, homelessness and extreme poverty.
The department said it has processed more diversions than any other metro Atlanta law enforcement agency. Between January and May, more than 1,800 people completed diversion services, including 155 in May alone.
Atlanta police emphasized that diversion decisions are governed by department policy and eligibility requirements. Under those guidelines, officers may refer people to diversion programs when there is probable cause for an arrest but the officer believes the conduct is related to mental illness, substance use or extreme poverty.
However, department policy also makes individuals ineligible if they present a substantial risk of harm to others, have pending charges for certain violent offenses, have exclusionary warrants or meet other disqualifying criteria.
Police noted that decisions involving bond, prosecution, sentencing, probation and treatment compliance fall outside the department’s authority and are handled by courts, prosecutors and other agencies within the criminal justice system.
City officials said Atlanta paid PAD more than $200,000 for services last week. The city also said the diversion center, operated by Grady Health System, remained open and there were no interruptions in services during contract negotiations with PAD.
The Beltline stabbing remains under investigation. Authorities have not publicly released additional details about the mental health services Brown received before the attack.
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