Reports have come to light that show the 19-year-old victim who was shot dead at a convenience store Sunday night by her estranged boyfriend had done all the law allows in an effort to protect herself after he forced their infant son to kiss the bullet he vowed he would use to kill her.We've had the discussion before about the importance of prevention and it bears repeating. Atkinson did everything she was "supposed" to do. She left, she called the police, she took out a Protective Order and Barrow still took her life. We place the burden on the victim to protect herself. If we didn't, the police would have arrested him for making terroristic threats and held him in jail or would have taken his gun since those with Protective Orders against them in Georgia are not allowed to have firearms. Either of those things could have provided Atkinson with additional protection and they would have shown Barrow that he would be held accountable for his actions. Instead, we raise our boys believing that violence against women is justified and women who do all of the right things are still stolen from their children and families.
Audrey Savon Atkinson had filed a temporary protective order, or TPO, against Anthony Michael Barrow, 22, when he had threatened to shoot and kill her on Feb. 27.
In Georgia, a TPO is a court order to help protect a victim from someone who is abusing, threatening or harassing them. The order requires the abuser to stay away from the victim, their home and their place of employment or from contacting the person in any way. Getting a TPO does not mean the abuser goes to jail, but makes it easier for the police to arrest the abuser for coming near the victim later.
According to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the order was served on Barrow at 7:30 p.m. March 3, four days before he made good on his threat.
Atkinson had also filed a report with the Conyers Police Department earlier in the day on March 3, advising them Barrow had threatened her once again over the phone and that she had word from a friend that he had been “calling around asking all his friends to give him a ride to (the Conyers) Chili’s,” where Atkinson was employed.
According to the incident report, Atkinson told Conyers officers that Barrow had called her cell phone while she was on her way to take the couple’s 8-month-old son to a babysitter and they had gotten into an argument.
“Atkinson said during the course of the argument, (Barrow) made several threatening statements such as ‘your days are numbered’ and ‘we will meet again very soon.’” the report stated. “Atkinson said at this point she informed him she had taken a temporary protection order out against him. She said (Barrow) replied saying ‘you don’t keep me from anything.’ When Atkinson asked what he meant by that statement, he responded saying ‘don’t worry about it, just know I will see you again very soon.’”
About 8:30 p.m., which according to NCSO records would have been an hour after Barrow was served with the TPO, Atkinson told officers she received a text from Barrow, asking if she’d be at work “tomorrow.”
Atkinson told the CPD officer that on Feb. 27 she and Barrow had gotten into an argument which ended with her telling him she was moving out of the home at 55 Wellington Trail in Covington where they had lived with Barrow’s grandparents.
“Atkinson said while packing some of her belongings (Barrow) pushed her to the ground and then kicked her ... and (he) made several threats telling her he was going to kill her and made their son kiss one of the bullets to his handgun. Atkinson said (Barrow) told her he was going to kill her with the bullet (their son) had kissed,” the incident report states.
Monday morning, after shooting and killing Atkinson about 10 p.m. Sunday at Liberty Food Mart at 2080 Crowell Road, Barrow took his own life after a four-hour standoff with Covington/Newton County S.W.A.T. at his home in the Wellington Ridge subdivision.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Follow-Up: Covington Man Kills Ex
As a follow-up to this story, the Rockdale Citizen reports that Atkinson had an active Temporary Protective Order against Barrow that he had recently violated. Warning, the quotes below may be triggering to survivors of violence.
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The truth is no protection order and or court order cant stop these types of abusers. My mom also lost her life to one of these psycho idiots in july of 1990. They were married for 9 years and had a 6 year old son together that he used almost daily to control her after we moved out away from him. Living with this man was hell but nothing compared to what we went through after the divorce. My advice to all the ladies who go through such abuse like this lady and my mom went through is if the abuse is so bad it causes you leave the abuser for you or kids safty. Then you need to believe that if this man says im killing you or threatens to harm the kids dont call bs on this person believe him because if he crazy enough to say it then its a matter of time before he gets the guts to do it. Its hard for a woman to believe a man that she loved so much at one time, or gave birth to his children to comprehend that he is capable of killing her. Even though he has already beat her black and blue more than one time over the years they were together. But she believes her getting beat up or hit by her abuser was her fault she provoked it. And besides he cried more than she did from the pain because it hurt him so much that she caused him to do that to her. That is how victims think and also please ladies understand this dont think this abuser is not going to kill you and he is trying to scare you because he loves you so much and wants you back in his home and he wont kill you. Because if he can say it he can do it. My mom knew her exhusband might kill her but still after all the threats, harrasment, kidnapping my brother taking him out of state for two weeks, checking him out school and then calls her and says if you want to see your son you got to go to my brothers and he will bring you to me and then she goes blindfolded with his brother to a motel in the next city and then raps her while my brother is in the room watching it all and keeps her there for two days and me not having a clue to where she was all i knew is she went to see bro to him home. I was 19 at this time and there was nothing i could do but call the law but they would never do anything when i called them and i didnt know where to look. And finally she arrived home two days later beat up and a mess without my brother crying and saying he got a temp custody order on him and I had to promise him if he let me go I would come back after i got me some clothes and checked on you. And that almost worked on her by making her move back in with him but I put my foot down and wouldnt let her and we spent the next few days in court getting that temp order resolved and we got my bro back. Then he goes from being the abuser to the victim of her keeping his son away from him and he is the pityful sad one here and he was sorry and blahblahblah they didnt work and she still go home. She remarried right after the divorce was final and tried to keep it from the ex but he found out and when he realized he no longer had control anymore of her and it was over forever he tripped and did what he said he killed her in front their six year old son he used to torture her with daily. So ladies please understand this can happen to you and if you have been told by her lover or ex that he will kill you if he cant have you..Please believe him.and please understand also ladies just because he hasnt made contact with you in a few days doesnt mean he is done with his torture it only means that when you get comfortable and not expecting him to do something then he has a better chance of completing his goal and thats either one you will miss him and go back home or two he can kill you without getting caught better if your not expecting him to show up. Especially if those restraining orders have been signed against him. Your abuser is no idiot and usually your death will be carefully planned out.
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