The DeKalb County community is demanding justice and answers after a 5-year-old girl was injured in a shooting outside her Highlands at East Atlanta apartment home Sunday evening, December 15, 2013.
According to police, a shooting broke out in the parking lot of the Highlands at East Atlanta Apartments just after 7:30pm Sunday evening. A stray bullet shot through the window of a 5-year-old girl, striking her in the shoulder.
"There were so many [bullets], the little girl thought that it was fireworks going on," reported Capt. Steven Fore.
Officers discovered the young girl in her bedroom with her mother and grandmother and rushed her to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston where she is in stable condition.
Shell casings were found throughout the apartment complex, in several vehicles and buildings. Thankfully, no other families were harmed in what appears to have been a violent shower of bullets between two or more gunmen.
Families of the Highlands at East Atlanta apartment complex have once again been left terrified for the safety of their children. Only a year ago, the complex was the scene of another shooting, which claimed the life of resident Demarco Booker. The outcome of Sunday's shooting is all too familiar for frustrated residents, as the gunmen are still at large and the family of this little girl are still seeking justice.
As police continue to hunt for the gunmen, attorneys at The Murray Law Firm are questioning whether another party holds responsibility in this horrific shooting: Highlands at East Atlanta Apartments.
- Following the previous complex shooting, what additional security measures were implemented by the apartment owner and management to protect families from such violence?
- Both shootings occurred in the apartment complex parking lot. Was a security patrol on duty at the time of the shooting? Was the parking lot well lit with ample emergency call boxes to deter crime? Were surveillance cameras running on the property grounds? If so, who was monitoring these cameras and why did they fail to contact police when the dispute first erupted?
- How did the gunmen obtain access to the apartment complex? Were access gates and security fences installed following the previous shooting? Were resident ID cards and entrance fobs issued to further restrict access to the property?
The Murray Law Firm is now investigating a potentially fatal safety lapse at the Highlands at East Atlanta apartments. Given the property's history of violence and health concerns, the owner and management may be found negligent for failing to provide residents with adequate security.
Under Georgia law, apartment owners and managers are required to protect all residents and guests legally on premises from any foreseeable harm. If the owner and manager are aware of previous incidents of violence on or near property, it is their duty to implement extraordinary security precautions to protect residents from such foreseeable crimes.
Should the owner and management of Highlands at East Atlanta be found at fault for failing to protect the young victim of this shooting, her family may elect to hold the property civilly liable for her injuries. Such a claim may be in the millions of dollars and would, most importantly, demand Highlands at East Atlanta and all other local apartment owners finally make resident safety their first priority. As photographs and a thorough inspection will need to be performed immediately, before any evidence is damaged or destroyed, it is crucial the family of this young victim retain an experienced premises liability firm without delay. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in protecting victims of apartment negligence and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.
We pray for the swift recovery of the young victim in this shooting. Anyone seeking further information on our investigation into the potentially fatal apartment negligence at Highlands at East Atlanta is encouraged to contact us at 404.842.1600.
