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What Went Wrong? Our Legal Take: 12-Year-Old Injured in Townhomes Shooting, College Park

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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.

We Fight for Victims of Apartment Security Negligence in Georgia…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

The Murray Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for victims of unsafe properties in Georgia, and recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for one of our Georgia Clients in Fulton County State Court.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 404.842.1600. Consultations are free and confidential.


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Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

A LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.

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