The weekend in Atlanta got off to a violent start Friday night with at least four unrelated shootings that left one person dead and four injured.
The latest spate of shootings comes amid a surge in violent crime that has led to an outcry from rattled Atlanta residents and business owners, and pressure is building on public officials to put the epidemic of violence at the forefront of their efforts.
Police first responded to a shooting in southwest Atlanta at an apartment building on Kimberly Way shortly after 10 p.m., spokeswoman Officer C.J. Johnson said in a news release. Officers found one man with a gunshot wound at the scene. He was conscious and taken to the hospital for further treatment. Two people were detained at the scene, but Johnson did release whether any arrests had been made.
Police did not release the identities of the injured man or the people detained. The investigation is ongoing, Johnson said.
The second shooting took place about 12:30 a.m. Saturday at Hide Kitchen & Cocktails in the 3000 block of Roswell Road in Buckhead, Johnson said. Officers responded to a call for a person shot and found a woman with a gunshot wound to one of her legs. She was conscious and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment, Johnson said. Police did not release her identity.
According to the initial investigation, witnesses told police that several customers were asked by security to leave. One of the men began arguing with the security guard, escalating into a verbal altercation and then several shots were fired. The woman was hit and injured by the gunfire, but police do not believe she was targeted.
No arrests have been made, but police are searching for a suspect described as having blond dreadlocks, Johnson said.
Just two hours later, Atlanta police responded to the night’s only deadly incident. Responding officers found a man dead at a home on Lanvale Drive SW, and a second victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The second person was taken to Grady with serious injuries, Johnson said. Neither of the shooting victims’ identities has been released, and investigators are still working to determine the circumstances around the double shooting incident.
The final shooting incident took place about 3:45 a.m. at an apartment complex in northwest Atlanta’s West Lake neighborhood. Responding officers found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. The woman told police that she and the suspect got involved in a verbal altercation that led the suspect to fire several shots at her, Johnson said. The injured woman was stable and was taken to Grady for treatment.
Police did not release the identities of either the victim or the suspect, and the investigation is ongoing, Johnson said.
The multiple overnight shootings add another page to the growing story of violent crime in Atlanta. The fatal shooting early Saturday morning in southwest Atlanta was at least the 53rd homicide recorded in the city this year.
The continued violence underscores Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ recent proclamation that crime in Atlanta has gotten out of hand.
“Let me say something really unpopular this morning. Our police need help,” Willis said Monday in a social media post. “Violent crime is out of control. It is completely unacceptable! People should be able to go to a pool party, shopping, to dinner and the club without fear of being killed.”
Anyone with information about any of these overnight shooting incidents is asked to call Atlanta police. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
About the Author
