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What Went Wrong? Our Legal Take: 12-Year-Old Injured in Townhomes Shooting, College Park
Local News
“[A] 12-year-old child was struck in the arm by a stray bullet…at the Sierra Townhomes” in College Park, Tuesday evening, December 8, 2015.
According to Athens Banner-Herald, the child was attending a vigil when gunfire erupted. The young boy was apparently “struck in the arm by a stray bullet.”
Police have not yet made an arrest in the shooting, presumably leaving many College Park families concerned for their safety. In 2010, College Park was named by the FBI as number one in metro Atlanta for violent crime, property crime and total crime. In 2014, Home Security Shield and Movoto both listed College Park as the number one “most dangerous” place to live in Georgia.
Our Legal Take
Apartment residents and their families have a right to feel safe and secure while on property. Given the reported history of local community violence, The Murray Law Firm is questioning the level of security provided to residents of the Sierra Townhomes and whether this unconscionable attack may have been prevented.
- How did the gunmen gain entry to the property? What security measures, such as gated-entry, bright lighting, surveillance cameras and security patrols, were in place to protect residents at the time of the shooting?
- Were any additional security precautions implemented by the apartment complex owner or management following previous reports of criminal activity in the area?
By law, apartment owners are required to protect all residents and guests legally on the premises from any foreseeable harm. Should the facts of this matter reveal that the apartment complex owner or management company failed to provide adequate security, the young victim’s family may elect to seek justice and pursue a legal claim for his injuries. Based upon its extensive and successful experience in handling negligent security cases against apartment complexes in Georgia, The Murray Law Firm suggests that photographs and a thorough, unbiased inspection of the apartment and property will need to be performed immediately, before any evidence may be repaired, damaged or destroyed.
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