Police are investigating two deadly shootings Thursday morning on Atlanta’s upper westside, one at a troubled apartment complex and the other at a nearby luxury townhouse development.
A little over a mile and the span of about 10 minutes separated the two killings, which were both called into 911 around 6 a.m. First, dispatchers were alerted to a person shot at the Flipper Temple Apartments on Abner Terrace, then they got the call about another person shot at the One Riverside West community on Main Street.
The two deaths appear to be connected, Atlanta police said Thursday in a statement.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Both victims were young men and both were found in the parking lots, according to police Lt. Chris Hewitt. At Flipper Temple, 19-year-old Jalen Curtis was alive when he was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. The victim at One Riverside West, 26-year-old Korri Jackson, was dead at the scene. Their identities were confirmed by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Added to three other killings across the city Wednesday, Atlanta police have opened a total of five shooting death investigations over the course of 24 hours. Only Wednesday’s incidents are currently classified as homicides.
Investigators have not said what led to Thursday’s deaths, but they confirmed a vehicle recovered from a home on Abner Terrace is believed to be tied to both shooting scenes.
“We would ask anybody with any information to please contact Atlanta Crime Stoppers or the Atlanta police homicide unit,” Hewitt said.
The two complexes are located in neighboring communities nestled up to the Chattahoochee River, but the comparison ends there. Flipper Temple was among 275 of the metro area’s persistently dangerous complexes, according to the AJC’s “Dangerous Dwellings” investigation that looked into serious crimes, lax maintenance and other hazards in Atlanta neighborhoods.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
It was the site of 51 reported crimes from 2017 to 2021, the investigation found. And just two weeks ago, it was the site of another shooting that killed 27-year-old Elijah Jackson and wounded three other men. No arrests have been announced in that case.
The complex sits in the Carver Hills neighborhood, where the median home price is around $210,000 and the going rent is under $1,000, according to ranking and review website Niche, which gave the community a C- ranking. The same site ranked Riverside, where the townhouses are located, as the No. 2 best neighborhood to buy a house in Atlanta.
At One Riverside West, built in 2021, homes start at $500,000. No violent crimes were reported there last year, but two vehicles were stolen, according to crime data from the police department. The complex has also seen its share of petty thefts and vehicle break-ins.
“We’re close to the city. It’s gentrifying ... you kind of take it with a grain of salt,” said homeowner Lenox St. Germain, who heard the gunshots early Thursday and huddled with neighbors at the crime scene tape. “You do what you can. I’m not going to leave my packages here, and neighbors kind of look out for each other.”
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
St. Germain said one of his neighbors identified the victim as her daughter’s boyfriend. The man was on his way to work when he confronted a group of people breaking into his vehicle in the parking lot, he said.
“It’s the greatest violation,” St. Germain said, adding he was concerned for the safety of his wife and infant son. “You’re just trying to do what you’re supposed to be doing. I’m going to work, take care of my kid, and it’s my property, you know?”
Police have not confirmed if the shooting at One Riverside West was related to vehicle break-ins, but a white work van and a red Chevrolet Camaro were towed from the lot during the investigation.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
