ATLANTA — Community members are expressing their concerns about safety issues at an Atlanta apartment complex after two teenagers died and another was hospitalized following an early morning shooting.
The triple shooting happened at the Oakland City West End Apartments in the city's Oakland City neighborhood early Tuesday morning. Thirteen-year-old JaKody Davis and Lamon Freeman succumbed to their injuries, while a 12-year-old remains in the hospital.
“My cousin was really smart and funny. He didn’t do anything wrong in my eyes,” said a family member of one of the victims.
In general, this marks the second shooting involving children at the complex this year. Following Tuesday morning's shooting, some residents and community members told 11Alive that they're citing a lack of property upkeep as a contributing factor to these safety concerns.
President of the Oakland City Community Association, John Sears, brought up a history of the violence at the complex, mentioning that a 15-year-old died earlier in the year.
"We've had a bad run this year," Sears stated.
But despite these incidents, Sears said the complex plays a crucial part in keeping many of the community's low-income residents engaged and in the neighborhood. He also acknowledged persistent safety concerns.
"We wanted to partner with the owners to figure out what’s happening inside that allows crime to spill out," Sears said.
Atlanta City Councilmember for District 4, Jason Dozier, also echoed these concerns.
“Since taking office two and a half years ago, public safety issues at the apartment complex have been a constant challenge,” Dozier said.
He also noted difficulties in communication with the property owners. He said there hasn't been an open line of communication in the last six months.
"But I will continue to fight to change that," Dozier stated.
Dozier mentioned efforts to collaborate with Atlanta's Office of Violence Reduction, asserting that the complex’s issues won’t deter him from working toward a safer community.
11Alive reached out to the apartment complex owners for a comment on their discussions with the city but has yet to receive a response. Meanwhile, APD homicide detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the early morning shooting.