from recent Savannah/Chatham Police incident reports
The reluctance of witnesses to come forward with information about a fatal shooting has resulted in the installation of a surveillance camera at the intersection of Waters Avenue and 35th Street.
Police placed the camera at the intersection four days after the shooting death of Edward Robinson, 51. The camera is highly visible with a blue strobe light.
Chief Michael Berkow ordered the installation. “It is a huge frustration that no one has cooperated in this homicide investigation,” he said.
Fear and indifference in some neighborhoods stems the flow of information, making the cameras necessary, he said.
The camera has Web-based monitoring capability, which is accessible to investigators and patrol supervisors 24 hours a day. It is the first of its kind to be installed in Savannah, and the first of several that will installed in “hot spots” throughout the city and county.
• A fugitive wanted on rape charges in Fulton County barricaded himself into a Southside apartment, forcing a five-hour standoff with police.
Derrick Duffy, 28, one of Atlanta’s Top 10 Most Wanted, was taken into custody on Jan. 11. The Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department’s SWAT team had to use gas to get the man to surrender.
Police and FBI agents learned that Duffy was in the apartment at the Lake View town homes on Mohawk Street and tried to serve an arrest warrant. Duffy saw police as two of his acquaintances left the apartment.
The two men tried to hinder police and gave them false information while Duffy tried to run out the back door. However, Metro K-9 officers were waiting in the backyard and prevented Duffy’s escape.
The men were identified as Brian Jimmerson, 31, of Atlanta, and Darian Price, 21, of Chicago. They were taken into custody immediately and later charged with obstruction.
When Duffy saw police at the back of the house, he immediately went back inside, locked the door and was unresponsive for several hours. Additional resources, including the SWAT and Crisis Negotiation teams were called to the scene, but got no response.
After repeated attempts to make contact, officers threatened to send in the K-9s. Duffy’s girlfriend, Taleshia Barnes, also known as Vivica Johnson, 32, of Decatur, also was in the apartment and she surrendered at this point.
However, Duffy refused to come out until the gas was deployed 30 minutes later. The gas forced him out of a crawl space in the attic of the two-story apartment, where he had been hiding.
The standoff affected about 300 residents in the area, who were cautioned to stay in their homes and away from the scene. Police were able to contain the suspects and no injuries were reported.
• Several pieces of jewelry were taken from an Abercorn Street store by two suspects who used forged checks to buy them.
A woman went into the store and purchased a $300 Gucci chain and pendant and a $100 pair of diamond stud earrings. She paid with a Wells Fargo Bank money order worth $500, and was given $100 in cash as change.
The next day, the woman returned to the shop, accompanied by a man. The man purchased a $240 Gucci chain and a $266 watch. Again, the items were paid for with a money order. The theft wasn’t discovered until two weeks later when the money orders were found to be forged.
• A Westlake Avenue man was arrested and charged with battery after attacking his daughter’s boyfriend for no apparent reason.
The 19-year-old victim was outside on the stairs of his girlfriend’s grandmother’s house when the suspect approached him. The girlfriend was present and witnessed the altercation.
The suspect put his finger in the victim’s face, and the victim stood up. The suspect then bumped the victim with his body, still pointing his finger in his face.
He pushed the victim and grabbed him, and both men fell into the wall. The suspect slammed the victim into the floor, causing a bad cut over the victim’s left eye, and began punching him with his fist.
The suspect’s daughter attempted to break the two apart. Police were called, and the suspect was taken into custody. 
