Suspected gunman in alleged Athens setup shooting arrested

Hanif Rahim Ali

By Joe Johnson

Police have arrested the suspected gunman in an alleged setup shooting of a man at an Athens apartment complex.

Hanif Rahim Ali, 30, of Tallassee Road was arrested Monday afternoon on warrants charging him with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

According to Athens-Clarke County police, the alleged incident happened Dec. 27, 2022 at the Parkview Homes public apartment complex to where Simoane Ashley Binns had taken a man with whom she apparently had a dispute about money, and after they arrived at a location in the 100 block of Florida Avenue, Ali allegedly shot the man.

Simoane Ashley Binns

The victim, a 52-year-old resident of Sunset Drive, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

“Preliminary investigation indicates that Binns facilitated this incident by bringing the victim to the area for the purpose of being shot,” said police spokesman Lt. Shaun Barnett.

Binns, 27, of Bethany Court was arrested for aggravated assault the day after the shooting.

Ali on Tuesday morning was being held at the Clarke County Jail without bail being set.