A local politician in the US state of Georgia has made a startling public declaration, revealing to colleagues and the public that she now carries a 9mm handgun she has personally named 'Tiffany'. The revelation came amid claims of physical threats and an alleged cover-up within her own council.
A Politician's Personal Protection
Latresa Akins-Wells, the District 4 councilwoman for Forest Park in the Atlanta metropolitan area, stated she purchased the firearm for self-defence after a disturbing incident at her home. She explained that someone threw a rock through her window the day after Thanksgiving, prompting her drastic action. "I feel like I have to protect myself. If I don't then who will?" she told WSB-TV in an interview.
The situation escalated during a council meeting on December 1, where Akins-Wells delivered a loud and passionate speech. She detailed the alleged rock-throwing and another confrontation where, she claimed, someone tried to attack her and had to be restrained by the Mayor. "On Monday, someone tried to come at me and attack me and they had to be held back by the mayor," she told the chamber.
Allegations of a Cover-Up and Internal Conflict
During her address, Akins-Wells alleged there was an effort to shield the individual responsible from facing consequences. She then directly accused fellow Councilwoman Delores A. Gunn of attacking her. Gunn is an ordained evangelist who works at Gateway Restoration Church, according to her official profile.
"Now, if it was me, it'd be on Channel 2 News and everybody would know about it. But since it's a certain individual, it's gonna be like it's brushed under the rug," Akins-Wells asserted. She challenged Gunn's conduct, stating, "If you call yourself a minister but you get behind closed doors and call me an idiot because for whatever reason you don't like me, I don't care."
Warnings and Wider Repercussions
The councilwoman concluded her speech with a stark warning that some colleagues interpreted as a threat. "If you value your life. If you value your family's lives, stay the hell away from where I lay my head," she declared. She added that she and her children now travel armed for protection. The fallout from her statements has been immediate and significant.
Akins-Wells lamented that she now requires 24-hour police protection outside her home, diverting police resources. Furthermore, her comments have sown fear among her peers. Councilwoman Kimberly James told WSB-TV she felt threatened by Wells's remarks, leading to calls for a metal detector at the entrance for council members at City Hall.
In response to the backlash, Akins-Wells insisted her words were not a threat but a statement of intent to defend her home. "I said if you come to where I live. I have to protect myself. That's not a threat," she clarified in an interview after the explosive meeting. She expressed her frustration, stating, "I don’t feel I deserve what I’m going through."
The Daily Mail has contacted Mayor Angelyne Butler, Councilwoman Delores A. Gunn, and the Forest Park Police Department for comment on the escalating situation.
