ATLANTA — A day after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant and other officials expressed their frustrations over a man accused of shooting a police officer being granted bond, that bond amount has skyrocketed.
Christian Eppinger is accused of shooting Officer David Rodgers six times near the Colonial Square Apartment homes off Old Hapeville Road on Feb. 7.
Police said Rodgers and other officers were trying to take Eppinger, who is allegedly a known gang member, into custody who had outstanding warrants for a robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm from October 2021.
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Eppinger was denied bond during his first appearance hearing after the shooting in February. Earlier this week, a judge granted him a $395,000 bond.
“Law enforcement, as well as the District Attorney’s office, is very upset that this dangerous criminal was given a bond,” Willis said during a news conference on Wednesday.
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On Thursday, Eppinger appeared in court again as Willis requested the bond be reconsidered.
During Thursday’s hearing, Eppinger’s bond was raised to a total of $8.5 million. About $2.5 million of that would be required to be a cash bond.
A prosecutor told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne about a 2016 case in which Eppinger was accused of pointing a gun in the face of a young mother and her child during a carjacking. He was indicted on a long list of charges, but was allowed to plead guilty to reduced charges because he was a first offender.
Judge Craig Schwall has also revoked his first offender status and found Eppinger guilty of the 2016 crimes. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday to be re-sentenced on those crimes.
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