A quick grocery run in Lithonia turned into a viral moment and a police investigation after a DeKalb County woman said a stranger followed her through a Kroger and appeared to film her with a phone hidden in his shopping cart. Reese Mitchell says the encounter happened on Feb. 15 at the Kroger on Covington Highway. She confronted the man on camera, then ran to the front of the store and filed a police report. Her clip has since racked up more than 2 million views and prompted an active investigation by DeKalb County police.
What Happened
Mitchell told Atlanta News First she first spotted the man in the meat department. At first it seemed like normal crowding, she said, but she grew more alarmed when he showed up again in the dairy aisle and lingered nearby.
According to Mitchell, she started recording on her own phone when she realized his phone appeared to be positioned toward her from inside his cart. In the video, she confronts him before heading to the front of the store, where she reported what happened to staff and contacted police.
"Women need to feel safe shopping in their neighborhood stores," she told the station. Mitchell said Kroger management also reached out to law enforcement after the run-in.
Police Response
The DeKalb County Police Department "said the case remains open and active," according to Atlanta News First. Detectives are asking anyone who recognizes the man or has additional information to contact the department.
Tipsters can call 404-294-2911, submit an anonymous tip through the department’s free mobile app, or text "DKPD" to 847411. The department lists those options on its portal at Tip411.
Similar Reports and Store Policies
The Lithonia case is not happening in a vacuum. Similar confrontations have surfaced around metro Atlanta, including a 2024 case in Gwinnett County at a Snellville Publix, where police asked for help identifying a man seen allegedly recording a shopper. Fox5 Atlanta reported on that incident.
DeKalb County officials, for their part, have pushed for broader video-surveillance standards at certain high-risk businesses and have cited that policy when asking stores to preserve footage for investigations. DeKalb County implemented the ordinance to help deter crime and assist law enforcement when cases land on detectives’ desks.
Legal Angle
Georgia law does not always make these situations an easy call. State statutes can criminalize spying and invasions of privacy, but prosecutors generally have to show the accused intended to "spy upon or invade the privacy" of another person. That intent requirement often turns charging decisions into highly fact-driven calls.
The language appears in the state’s peeping-Tom provisions, which have been cited in prior cases where courts dug into what a defendant meant to do. The full text is available through Justia.
Police and store managers are urging shoppers to stay aware of their surroundings and to flag anything that feels off to employees or law enforcement. Anyone with information in the Lithonia case or similar incidents can contact the DeKalb County Police Department at 404-294-2911 or use the department's anonymous tip system. Details on text and app options are listed on Tip411.
