WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — A local cannabis shop owner has been arrested and charged with the assault of a homeless woman in Warner Robins, leaving the community shocked and searching for answers.
Christopher Davis, 40, was taken into custody Friday on charges of kidnapping, aggravated battery, and two counts of aggravated assault. The victim, a 65-year-old homeless woman, was found badly beaten in a shopping center parking lot.
According to Warner Robins police, Davis allegedly attacked the woman around 12:25 a.m. Friday outside his smoke shop.
"They said that he hit her with his fist and kicked her and with an unknown object," said Alicia Whisnant, owner of a neighboring business. "I was shocked to hear that. I don't know him personally, so I didn't see any aggression from him, so I'm really blown away by that."
Davis owns the "Shatter My Dreams" smoke shop on Watson Boulevard, and they sell THCA products.
But on Friday, police say Davis beat the woman with his hands, feet, and an "unknown object" before dragging her into the parking lot. She wasn't discovered until nearly eight hours later, at 7:54 a.m.
The incident has raised concerns about safety and homelessness in the area. Sheila Redding, who owns a nearby thrift store, expressed her worries.
"I feel like Houston County, Warner Robins should have a place for the homeless," Redding said. "I realize a lot of them don't want to be housed in the homeless shelter, but I feel like the police should control the area to make sure they are safe too; because if they did, this incident wouldn't have never happened."
Redding described the victim as a quiet presence in the shopping center.
"You see her every day in and day out. You see her sitting in the corner," she said. "I mean, she never bothered anybody, she never talked to anybody."
Police say there's no known motive for the attack, and they don't believe the woman was attempting to break into Davis's store.
The shop had been a recent addition to the shopping center, with some neighboring business owners expressing initial concerns about its presence.
"You don't know what kind of traffic that's gonna bring in," Whisnant said. "It did concern me immensely when he first came in and I was actually mad at my landlord."
Despite these concerns, Davis's alleged actions came as a surprise to those who interacted with him regularly.
"He seems like a really nice guy. He's never ever shown aggression towards us," Whisnant said. "He's always been kind."
Davis is currently being held in the Houston County jail without bond.