Sister of man attacked with machete in Athens homeless shelter says he will lose an eye and has a fractured skull

A judge denied bail to the suspect in a machete attack outside a homeless shelter in Athens on Saturday morning.

Athens police arrested 33-year-old Cedric Smith on Thursday evening, minutes after the attack.

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Chris Sullens, a 53-year-old shelter worker who has worked with the homeless for over a decade, is in the intensive care unit at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

Sullens’ sister, Teresa Sullens-Baker, spoke exclusively with Courtney Francisco from Channel 2 to express their relief that Smith remains behind bars.

She said her brother is no longer on a ventilator but will likely lose at least one eye. She said he has severe cuts to his head and face, brain swelling and a skull fracture.

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Her brother was on duty at the Advantage Homeless Day Service Center on Thursday when Smith spotted him in the parking lot and began beating him with a machete, according to police.

The next morning, colleagues and customers reported that they had immediately taken action to rescue Sullens.

“They did it so quickly,” Sullens-Baker said. “They all risked their lives to get to him.”

Police said they arrested Smith in less than 15 minutes.

According to court records, Smith’s criminal record in Athens dates back to 2013, when police say he pulled a knife on a woman on the sidewalk.

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He was charged with probation violations in 2014 and 2015, and in 2017 he slashed someone’s throat with a razor blade, according to an arrest warrant. He served four years in prison for that offense; he was out on probation when Thursday’s attack occurred.

“Someone that violent shouldn’t be on the streets, and that’s concerning,” Sullens-Baker said.

On Saturday, a probation violation was added to the list of crimes he is accused of in the case.

She finds comfort in friends, family and strangers, all of whom have banded together to donate thousands to help Sullens recover.

“He’s a treasure,” Sullens-Baker said. “Everyone at work liked him. I understand a lot of people in the community, in the homeless community, liked him. I’m so overwhelmed right now. I want to thank each and every one of them. I don’t even know where to begin.”

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