Man arrested in shooting of pregnant wife
Advocate staff report
June 23, 2012
Authorities arrested a man Wednesday in the shooting and wounding of his pregnant wife outside a house on Bay Street on Tuesday, a police spokesman said.
Frank Atkins, 26, was captured by members of the U.S. marshal’s task force about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.
U.S. Marshal Kevin Harrison said members of the task force found Atkins at an apartment complex on North Ardenwood Drive. Atkins did not resist arrest, he said.
Atkins will be booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count each of attempted second-degree murder, illegal use of a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police searched Tuesday for Atkins at 2025 Bay St., where the incident reportedly occurred.
After being shot about 12:40 p.m., the woman drove a few blocks to Choctaw Drive and Scenic Highway and called authorities, police have said. The woman was taken to a hospital.
Rosalyn Crump, 48, said Tuesday that her daughter, Kayla Atkins, 23, who is four months pregnant, was shot in the neck and is in stable condition.
Crump said her daughter had a rocky relationship with Frank Atkins, from whom Kayla Atkins was recently separated.
Kayla Atkins had reported previous incidents of domestic violence. According to court records, a temporary restraining order was issued Monday that required Frank Atkins to stay away from his wife.
Kayla Atkins said in the petition for the order that her husband tried to kill her Sunday morning and had been violent toward her on several previous occasions.
Frank Atkins was arrested Sunday and booked into Parish Prison on a count of domestic abuse battery. He was released the following day after posting bail of $7,500.
Kayla Atkins also filed a petition May 2 for a restraining order against her husband, saying he beat her, pulled a gun on her and told her he would kill her if she ever left him.
A temporary restraining order was issued that day, but it was dismissed May 3 at the request of Kayla Atkins.
According to court records, Frank Atkins also had been arrested on a count of second-degree murder, but that charge was dismissed last week.
He had been accused of killing Bernard Lands, 51, in a drug-related dispute last year.