Shooting leaves one dead at Etheridge Court Apartments in Carey Park neighborhood

The Atlanta Police Department is investigating a shooting that left Deon Green, age 29, dead at the Etheridge Court Apartments in the Carey Park neighborhood of northwest Atlanta.

According to official reports, police were dispatched to the 2500 block of Center Street on February 6, shortly after 11:15 p.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered an unresponsive man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was promptly rushed to the hospital, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries.

The victim has been identified as Deon Green. His father Task Morelane said his son “worked all night… two jobs… [at] the funeral home and he [worked with the Fulton County] medical examiner. That was his passion.” The family said Green was just visiting a friend in the complex when he was shot. The Medical Examiner office confirmed that Green was an on-call contractor at the time of the shooting.

The investigation that night appeared to be focused on a white van that had two windows broken and a handgun found at the scene. Homicide detectives are working to pierce together the events that led to this fatal incident and ask for any witnesses to call with information.

Georgia Negligent Security Law

Georgia law requires property owners and managers to help prevent crime on their property. They must maintain security features such as cameras, fences, and illumination. Owners must also handle any illegal behavior that may jeopardize safety. If owners fail to take these steps, they may be held responsible for on-site crimes.

Property owners and managers have access to a variety of tactics for effectively combating criminal activities. The installation of security cameras serves two purposes: deterring potential perpetrators and providing critical evidence for investigations. Fences serve as formidable physical deterrents, protecting the property from unwanted intrusions. Hiring security guards to monitor high-crime areas is a typical strategy. By proactively implementing such measures, owners ensure the well-being of their residents and guests.

A History of Crime at the Etheridge Court Apartments

This apartment complex changes names like people change shirts. It has also been known as Rolling Bends and Woodland Heights. This might be due to a history of criminal activity on the property. This includes, but is not limited to, three people injured in a shooting in August 2023, at least two men killed in a series of shootings near the apartment during Fourth of July weekend in 2020, and a fight at a block party that led to two people being shot in June of 2022.

Online reviews indicate unsafe living situations for residents. “Violence is all time high and people [are] shooting every day,” writes one resident.

“Serious crime, fighting, shootings & killings every day & night,” says a similar review.

Another resident writes simply, “Please don’t move here” and adds that an “unregistered sex offender molested a little girl and shot 2 people.”

Only Crime Victims or Their Relatives Can Demand Justice

Apartment owners in Georgia are mandated to undertake reasonable measures to safeguard their properties against criminal intrusions. In certain scenarios, housing complexes may create worse situations if they do not inform others about unwanted events happening nearby.

Police can catch criminals and take them to court, but they can't force property owners to make their places safer or pay money to people who have been hurt. Only the people who got hurt or their families can take the property owners to court to ask for money. This money can help pay for doctor's bills or for the money they didn't earn because they couldn't go to work. Even while this money is helpful, it cannot alleviate the pain caused by the tragic event.

It's worth mentioning that significant financial compensation to victims may prompt property owners and managers to implement safety measures to stop crimes from happening again in the future.

Together we can Make Atlanta Safe, one community at a time.