Former Top Aide to Atlanta Mayor Arrested at Airport on 'Terroristic Threats' Warrants

A former top aide for newly elected Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (D) was arrested at Atlanta International Airport last week on warrants related to charges of “terroristic threats.”

In November, Andre Dickens was elected mayor of Atlanta in a run-off after Keisha Lance Bottom chose not to seek a second term. Prior to Dickens’ swearing-in on Monday, a former aide of his, Ali Carter, whom he has glowingly praised in the past, was arrested at the airport while telling police he was the incoming mayor’s chief of staff.

According to a police report obtained by Fox News, police responded to “a warrant from Douglas County Sheriffs Department” and confronted him on the aircraft.

“Upon arriving, we located Mr. Ali Carter on the aircraft, in seat #11F and he confirmed his identity to police by name,” said the report. “Mr. Carter was informed of the warrant and he was transported to the police precinct for paperwork to be completed and to receive confirmation of the warrant.”

The warrant pertained to an alleged incident in September 2020 when Carter threatened to use his AR-15 against his ex-wife’s boyfriend if he touched his child again, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

In the bodycam footage of the arrest, Carter told the officers that he was the new chief of staff to Mayor Dickens.

“Do you know who I am?” Carter told police “I’m chief of staff to Andre Dickens.”

“OK, well you still have a warrant for your arrest,” the officer responded. “What are we supposed to do?”

“Call the mayor, man,” Carter replied. “I’m chief of staff to our new mayor, man.”

However, a spokesperson for the City of Atlanta said that “while Mr. Carter previously worked for Councilmember Dickens, he is not part of the Mayor’s administration and is no longer an employee of the City of Atlanta.” As Fox News noted, “Carter was previously listed as a ‘chief of staff’ to Dickens when he served as a councilman and Dickens’ ‘director of constituent services,’ according to a 2015 Facebook post.”

Video on his Instagram account appeared to show that Carter was also present at Dickens’ inauguration ceremony on Monday. Dickens and Carter have had an ongoing and public relationship since 2015, with Dickens previously referring to his former aide as: “My friend. My brother. My staff member.”

In a Facebook post on October 2021, Carter shared a picture of himself and Dickens by a podium while the caption said, “Been rocking with @andre4atlanta since 2013 and I am 100% confident in saying that he will make a great Mayor! #choosewisely.”

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