Albany police chief offers reassuring words after tragic week

ALBANY — After a particularly violent week in Albany, during which three people were murdered and another person was left clinging to life, Albany Police Chief Michael Persley called a news conference Monday to assure the community that the department is doing everything it can to bring the assailants to justice.

“I have always been concerned as a police officer and as a community member when it comes to violent crimes occurring in our city,” Persley said. “A person being injured or a life lost can be too much to bear for a community, let alone the family. It has always been and will continue to be our duty as officers to protect the residents and visitors to our good city. Each day, new officers come to work and do their best to be the guardians that are needed. We will continue to protect and serve, enforce the laws, and support the quality of life in this city.”

According to Persley, the department has been successful at solving crimes and will continue to actively pursue suspects and work to bring murderers to justice.

“Over the course of the year, we have been able to solve many crimes, ranging from our Part I crimes, such as murder, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary and larceny, to our Part II crimes, such as family violence, drug/weapon violations, and other misdemeanors and assaults,” Persley said. “This has been done largely in part by the assistance of the community.”

According to the police chief, tips from the community have provided “pieces to the puzzle” in many of the crimes that the department was investigated and solved.

“The community has been able to provide pieces to the puzzle that have led to the arrest and clearance of many cases,” Persley said. “It takes all of us to keep Albany safe. This is our city, and there are those who choose to make decisions that have devastating consequences. The homicides that have occurred have taken a toll on the families of those involved as well as on our community.”

Persley offered reassuring words after the tragedies of the week and promised closure for the families.

“As unfortunate as those have been, your officers have been able to solve the majority of these cases,” the APD chief said. “I have the utmost confident that these men and women will solve the recent cases that have occurred. It is with the help of the community that we will bring closure for these families and make the community feel safe again.”

From Oct. 9-14, the city was hit with three murders, which are currently being investigated by APD, and one attempted murder, currently being investigated by the Dougherty County Police Department.

According to reports, on Oct. 9, APD officers responded to a domestic dispute call at 905 Rosedale Ave. and found 43-year-old Natasha Rollins shot to death and her husband, Donar Rollins, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

On Thursday, Riley Harrel, 57, of 805 Westview Drive, was awakened by a knock on his door at 2:30 a.m., and, according to DCP officials, was subsequently shot in the face. Harrell remains hospitalized, and DCP continues to investigate the attempted homicide.

On Friday, APD officers were called to an attempted armed robbery at the Dollar General store located at 1906 E. Oglethorpe Blvd. and found Jarvis Walker, 31, shot and killed at the scene. Walker was a regular customer of the east Albany establishment.

Then, on Saturday, APD officers were called to the Quality Inn, located at 806 N. Westover Blvd., after 27-year-old Zemal Fuentes of Thomaston was found shot and killed in front of Room 130.

Fuentes was the 18th Albany homicide of 2017.

“I’m asking that all residents come together to stand up against the violence that is harassing our city,” Persley said, “and prevail against those who attempt to take the good out of our Good Life City.”