The woman at the center of a vicious stabbing spree at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is set to face a judge today in court. According to Atlanta News First, Damaris Milton, 44, from Orlando, FL, is looking at four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon stemming from the incident that occurred on October 11, 2023.
Milton's initial court appearance led to a judge denying her bond. The altercations purportedly started in a cab en route to the airport. As early as last October, Milton allegedly unleashed a series of attacks commencing with the taxi driver. This man, Selemon Melkamu, recalled the harrowing experience to officials, claiming that Milton stabbed him in the chest and then proceeded to hurl his phone out the window, as detailed in a report by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Upon her arrival at the airport, the rampage continued. An officer and a U.S. Deputy Marshal attempted to trail Milton after she was spotted attempting to attack a Delta employee with a knife. Officers attempted to persuade her to drop the knife but were unsuccessful. An Atlanta Police Department Facebook post detailed officers' attempts to restrict her movement and clear the area of travelers.
After a failed taser attempt by Officer D. McFarland—made ineffective due to Milton wearing multiple layers of pants—another officer tried to stop her using pepper spray. "Officers engaged the female, attempting to talk her into dropping the knife and working to restrict her movement and move travelers from the area," the Atlanta Police Department wrote on Facebook. Tragically, this attempt also went awry when an officer slipped on the pepper spray, and Milton seized the opportunity to stab him in the leg. She was finally tackled and arrested by another officer.
Today’s court hearing will determine the trajectory of this high-profile case which drew considerable attention to the security measures at one of the world's busiest airports. As the community and victims look on, there are hopes for a swift and just resolution to what has been a harrowing sequence of events for all involved.
