Police have arrested an Atlanta actor and infamous street personality Curtis Snow, whose real name is Curtis Ward. He was made famous by his 2011 film, Snow on Tha Bluff, which was shot in a semi-documentary style about life in the crime-ridden English Avenue neighborhood of Atlanta called “Tha Bluff.” On Saturday, May 6, Snow was among grieving family members saying farewell to his 94-year-old grandfather at the Higher Ground Empowerment Church.
Ward became upset because he was not allowed to sit front and center at his grandfather’s funeral. He became so agitated that multiple funeral attendees called 911. When Ward found that police were being called, he went into the women’s restroom and barricaded himself inside. Police responded with a SWAT team and hostage negotiator because they were told that Ward might be armed. After several hours, the SWAT team deployed tear gas and forced their way into the ladies’ room and removed ward without incident, He was booked into the Fulton County Jail on an outstanding warrant for assault.
Ward is well-known in the community, not just for his film, but also for his criminal activity that police say victimized residents. In the movie, he plays Curtis Snow, a street tough who engages in robbery, drug deals and other criminal activities. His role was not far from his actual life and he has had numerous encounters and arrests with the Atlanta police. The gritty and realistic nature of life on the streets led to the movie bring picked up and repackaged by Michael K. Williams, who played Omar in HBO’s “The Wire.” The movie’s impact with the Atlanta rap community was a hit and rappers such as T.I., Gucci Mane, Killer and B.o.B have referenced the film in their music.
Pastor Dexter Johnson came to Ward’s defense. “The young man that’s allegedly barred inside the church, that’s his granddad. Young people grieve differently. I don’t think he was here to hurt anyone,” said Johnson
