Leonard Mikell

Name:
Mikell, Leonard Torell

Date of Booking:
12/08/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER – F

WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BY USE OF THREATS OR VIOLENCE – F

Pedestrian On Roadway – M

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On 12/08/25 around 1621 hours, I, Officer Buck was dispatched to an unknown call at Bull and 41st St.

Call notes advised a black male subject wearing a green vest was running asking people to call police but would not elaborate as to why he was requesting police. The male subject left that location and another call came in at the Popeyes located just north of Bull St and Victory Dr.

As I was approaching Popeyes, I observed a black male wearing a green vest running from the restaurant southbound into oncoming traffic at the intersection of Bull St and Victory Dr. I activated my patrol lights and sirens and followed the subject into the intersection to prevent him from being struck by a vehicle. I exited my patrol vehicle and began attempting to get the male subject, later identified as Leonard Mikell, off of the road.

A Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrived on scene and assisted. While speaking with Mr Mikell, he was sweating profusely and continued to state that we have to help him but would not explain what was going on. We were able to escort Mr Mikell to a concrete median why still attempting to figure out what was going on. He was uncooperative with answering our questions and continued to say things like “you have to help me” and “I’m going to die” while pacing on the median. He began walking into the road at which point we again led him back to the median.

Behavioral Health Officers [Behavioral Health Officer #1] and [Behavioral Health Officer #2] arrived on scene, after having read the call notes for this call and have previously dealt with this individual previously on this same day. Mr Mikell suddenly turned away and attempted to run into the middle of the intersection. I along with the other officers grabbed Mr Mikell to prevent him from running into oncoming heavy traffic. BHU [Behavioral Health Officer #2] was able to restrain Mr Mikell against my patrol vehicle so we could detain Mr Mikell in handcuffs.

Mr Mikell was continuing to resist officers by kicking and grabbing at whatever he could reach on our bodies. I was able to secure a cuff on Mr Mikell’s right arm but we were unable to manipulate his left arm into range to be cuffed. I placed a second pair of cuffs on his left arm and secured the two pair together in an attempt to restrain Mr Mikell. After he was restrained in the two sets of handcuffs, he continued to try and fight officers while we were placing him into the back of my patrol vehicle to move locations from the middle of a busy intersection.

While BHU [Behavioral Health Officer #2] and I were securing Mr Mikell in the back of my patrol vehicle as he was continuing to kick and resist, I observed Mr Mikell grab something in his hand, extend his hand as high as he could while being restrained and throw the object toward BHU [Behavioral Health Officer #2] and I. The object flew between Officer [Behavioral Health Officer #2] and I and landed in the middle of Victory Dr. The object was identified as a blue pocket knife and was recovered from the street by Officer [Behavioral Health Officer #1]. It was a pocket knife with an approximately 4 in blade extended.

Officer [Behavioral Health Officer #2] frisked Mr Mikell for more weapons but did not locate any.

EMS was called to the scene to assess Mr Mikell due to the force used to restrain Mr Mikell. Sgt Richardson responded to the scene.

As I was in the car attempting to gather Mr Mikell’s name and birthday, he uttered that he didn’t want to kill anybody and he wasn’t “gunna pull it out of my pocket but I know how to throw it, I ain’t gunna lie.”

Mr Mikell was then transported to Memorial Medical Center.

While at the hospital Mr Mikell apologized multiple time for throwing the knife at me, indicating that he was intentionally attempting to hit officers with the blade. He also advised his original reason for needed police was that he believed people were trying to kill him and stated he felt their guns pressed against him while we were on scene. There were no other subject in the vicinity during my interaction with Mr Mikell and no firearms were pulled. EMS had previously advised that Mr Mikell has a history of schizophrenia.

After obtaining medical clearance, Mr Mikell was transported to CCDC and booked on the following charges:

• 16-5-21(I) Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer (2 counts)
• 16-10-24(B) Felony Obstruction
• 40-6-96 Pedestrain in the Roadway

The pocket knife was given to Officer Raiford to be logged into the SPD Property Room as evidence.

[End of Narrative]