Some say adults are too lenient with wayward, menacing young people today. Bishop Alex Williams, pastor of Mechanicsville United Church of God in Christ in Atlanta, may have been one of them.
On Saturday, May 7, Williams was driving near Stephens and McDaniel streets in the historical, well-known neighborhood of Mechanicsville when a large rock, allegedly thrown by an unidentified 13-year-old boy from the area, shattered the back window of his van. Williams pulled a gun and shot the boy in the hip. No details have been released about the sequence of events right after the shooting or whether the pastor had a license to carry a weapon.
“This is a senseless tragedy! While the pastor chose the role of becoming a victim, arming himself with love to win the hearts of the community he seeks to serve would have been a more effective method,” said Pastor Dr. Lewis Macklin of Holy Trinity Baptist Church, Youngstown, Oh., after learning of the incident. “Given the reality of the neighborhood being a challenge to ministry, the pastor could have been light in darkness to organize the community to rid itself of the negative element. Instead, he opted for darkness, further casting an even darker shadow upon the community and his own ability to reach out to those in his charge. ”
Atlanta police arrested Williams, who appears to be in his 60’s, and took him to jail until a court appearance today (May 9) where he was charged with aggravated assault and was denied bond. His next court appearance will be Monday, May 23. The boy is in stable condition.
Some news reports say Williams, who is known for trying to address his neighborhood’s crime and drug problems, is claiming self-defense. (Rock, scissors, paper … gun?) Over the past few months, he has been the victim of several burglaries and his home-based church was set on fire, according to his daughter, Yvonne Williams.
“Using the biblical models available, the pastor had many other options besides responding in violence,” explained Macklin. “It was evident that he considered the issues he faced with the alleged arson and break-ins. A sense of avenging the past now has marred his future. The painful reality is that the young man is modeling the behavior of his elder.”
Crime-riddled Mechanicsville is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Atlanta. Named for the mechanics who worked on the railroad lines just south of downtown, Mechanicsville was once a bustling cove for working class blacks, middle class whites and a number of prominent families. In more contemporary times, the neighborhood was the backdrop for the movie ATL, starring T.I., and is home to Big Gee of the rap group Boyz n da Hood.
–arnell pharr
