Man robbed while trying to sell gun to stranger

Published 12:34 pm Thursday, November 29, 2018

No injuries were reported after a victim was robbed at gun point, and his vehicle was later shot at multiple times near Hogansville Road Wednesday night. According to a LaGrange Police Department press release, the victim met with an unknown stranger around 6:30 p.m. to sell his Taurus 9mm handgun in the parking lot of a restaurant on the 1300 block of Hogansville Road.

LPD Sgt. William Nelson said the victim and suspect met online where the victim was trying to sell his gun.

“They met [at the parking lot] and ultimately the individual then tried to rob him,” Nelson said. “Once he was robbed, the victim then began following the suspect in one of the side streets off of Hogansville Road. The suspect stopped and fired several shots at the victim, striking his vehicle.”

According to the press release, the suspect took the victim’s wallet and two cell phones. According to the press release, after the suspect fired at the victim’s vehicle, he drove to the intersection of Commerce Avenue and Hogansville Road and threw out one of the victim’s phones. The victim then used that phone to call 911.

The suspect was later identified as Kalani Parmer, 23, according to the press release.

For online purchase meetups, Nelson said residents should always agree to meet at a safe location, such as the LPD or Troup County Sheriff’s Office parking lots.

“We have signs in our parking lot for that, and it’s a well-lit area and we have video cameras and that kind of stuff that surveil the area,” Nelson said. “So we encourage folks that if they’re going to do such, especially this time of year, just ensure that they are meeting someone in a location such as that.”

Anyone with information on the incident or Parmer is encouraged to contact the LPD at (706) 883-2603 or the Troup County Crime Stoppers at (706) 812-1000. Tips can also be sent to the LPD via Facebook.