Local

Clayton County mom says she shot at teens to protect her kids

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga — A judge has denied bond for a mother accused of shooting at a teen witnesses say was trying to steal her sons' cellphones.

Some neighbors say Robin Thomas was right to pull the trigger, but others aren't so sure.

Thomas now faces five counts of child cruelty, aggravated assault and making false statements.

It all began Mother's Day evening in the Rountree Forest subdivision near Riverdale.

"I heard three gunshots ring out," a woman who didn't want to be identified told Channel 2’s Tom Jones.

Clayton County Police say Thomas shot at three teens who were scuffling with her two teenaged sons. Thomas now sits in jail and some in the neighborhood say that's exactly where she needs to be.

"When you're shooting a gun that bullet has no name attached to it," the woman who wanted to remain anonymous said, claiming Thomas opening fire wasn't the answer.

But others don't see it that way.

"I really don't blame her. I really don't blame her. Any mother, I think, would have came up here. Any mother would have did that to protect her child," Larry Jackson said.

Jackson said the teens were trying to take the iPhones of Thomas’ sons.  He said he tried several times to stop the teens from bothering the boys, but he says they threatened him.

The boys called home, several family members arrived and a scuffle broke out. Police say that's when Thomas opened fire in the direction of one of the teens fighting with her son. Thomas' fiancé, who was there, says she didn't fire at anyone.

"She pulled out her weapon and shot three times in the ground," he explained.

He said Thomas only fired to scare the boys and only after the teens threatened her.

"They threatened to shoot up our house," he said.

He wants his future bride home. The neighbor who didn't want to be identified says she would be home if she hadn't taken matters into her own hands.

"I understand you're protecting your kids, but at the same time you don't want to take the life of someone else's kid," she said.

The man Thomas plans to marry says she has never been in trouble. He says she is not doing well in jail and has a broken toe that needs treatment. He and the woman who didn't want to be identified said they didn't want their faces shown on television because they believe the teens are dangerous and involved in gangs.