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Neighbors react after 3 shot near Lakewood Heights

Neighbors in the Lakewood and Lakewood Heights neighborhoods said a blight is bringing crime to their area.

ATLANTA — Gunfire startled Lakewood Heights neighbors around 11 p.m. Wednesday night near Jonesboro and Lethea Street; two children and an adult were shot. The shooting took place just two blocks from Ron Clark Academy.

"It's terrifying... less than half a mile from my home so it touches close," said Devon Dixon, co-president of Historic South Atlanta.

Dixon believes blight is bringing crime into Lakewood and Lakewood Heights, the two neighborhoods closest to the shooting.

"There's quite a few abandoned homes. Inside of them... who knows what activities occur within them," said Dixon.

RELATED: 3 shot, including two teenagers, in drive-by on Jonesboro Road

Our numbers team combed through two years of crime data provided by APD, focusing on aggravated assaults and homicides. When you compare this year to last year, the number of attacks in both Lakewood and Lakewood Heights is about the same, but the number of homicides is down.

Dixon says more people are getting involved, taking part in neighborhood watches in an effort to further curb the crime. As far as the blight concerns go, District 1 City Councilwoman, Carla Smith says concerned neighbors can report blighted properties to the City of Atlanta here or contact her office for help at 404-330-6039.

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