Georgia Legal Report
(WSBTV 2)
Security Lapse? Our Legal Take: 1 Injured in Decatur Apartment Shooting
Did negligent security contribute to this shooting? Read Our Legal Take to find out if the if the victim may have a legal avenue for justice and a claim for compensation.
Local News
A shooting outside the Creekside Forest Apartments reportedly left one man with critical injuries Thursday night, August 11, 2016.
WSBTV 2 reports, “the victim was shot in the chest Thursday nightin the parking lot of Creekside Forest Apartments on Ember Drive. They said it appeared that the victim tried to run to get help and collapsed in front of an apartment.”
Police have not yet identified a suspect or motive in the attack, presumably leaving local residents concerned for the safety of their families. The surrounding Ember Drive community was labeled “notorious” for criminal activity in December 2015 by CrossroadsNews.com. The website claims, “Ember Drive, home to a couple of nightspots, lodges, an apartment complex that could be a poster child for county code violations, and dozens of school-age children, is a street notorious for prostitution and drugs. It is a highly transient area with more than its share of criminal activity.”
Our Legal Take
Apartment residents and guests have a right to feel safe and secure while on the premises. Given the allegations of criminal activity in the surrounding area, as reported by CrossroadsNews.com, The Murray Law Firm questions the level of security provided to those at the apartment complex and whether this shooting may have been prevented.
- How did the gunman gain entry to the property? What parking lot security measures, such as bright lighting, gated entry, surveillance cameras, and security patrols, were in place and working at the time of the shooting?
- Was the apartment complex aware of any prior criminal activity on or near the property? If so, were additional security precautions implemented by the property owner or management to deter crime?
By law, property owners in Georgia are required to protect all those 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 victim may elect to seek justice and pursue a legal claim for his injuries.
Based upon its long, extensive, and successful experience in handling negligent security cases against property owners in the State of Georgia, The Murray Law Firm suggests that photographs and a thorough, unbiased inspection of the property will need to be performed immediately, before any evidence may be repaired, damaged or destroyed.
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