ATLANTA — Residents in Inman Park are calling on leaders to act after they say two guns have now been found near the neighborhood playground.
Over the weekend, city officials say they were notified that a family found a loaded gun at the public park off Hurt Street behind the MARTA station.
The Atlanta Police Department said back in November officers were called out to the same park after someone reported that a 7-year-old had found a loaded weapon.
Laura Mantrone lives near the area and said the news is alarming.
"There's just too many guns," she said.
Residents say it's not just guns being found, but drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well.
"It's not the age of innocence," Mantrone said. "It's the age of preparation for kids."
In an email to concerned neighbors, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Justin Cutler addressed the concerning find. He said he's instructed park crews to now look for guns during routine maintenance. Cutler's full statement can be found at the bottom of this story.
Councilmember Amir Farokhi, who oversees that district, said that he was horrified to hear of the latest incident, adding that "unattended guns have no place in our parks and playgrounds."
The councilmember demanded that there needs to be a collective action between the city and neighbors to ensure this never happens again.
Mantrone said with leaders responding - it's a start to preserve neighborhood safety.
Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Justin Cutler's full statement:
"I am sorry to hear that in two separate incidents, children found a loaded gun at Inman Park Playground. As a parent, I can’t imagine how unsettling this would be for the child and the parents/ families involved. We appreciate your reaching out.
The City of Atlanta takes these matters seriously and my first step will be to make my team aware of the situation and ask that our Parks crews when visiting the park are proactive in looking for guns during routine maintenance activities."