Forest Cove Apartments: Third Shooting in Two Months

After the third shooting in only sixty days, could the owners of Forest Cove be held liable for the wave of violence which has occurred around the property?

A fifteen-year-old boy sustained a gunshot wound to his “lower extremity” when walking past Forest Cove Apartments near Thompson Boulevard. The teen was taken to the hospital in the early hours of the morning and was stable and alert enough to talk to the police. Police do not believe the shooting is random, however, the victim was not able to provide a description of the suspect. The name of the victim has not been released.

Under Georgia state law, property owners have a responsibility to their tenants to keep their communities safe. If crime is a foreseeable issue on the property, these landlords and property managers are required to take reasonable measures to prevent crime. Installing security cameras, perimeter fencing, hiring security, and ensuring that the complex has adequate lighting are all examples of measures that might be reasonable measures to take to prevent crime.

This is the third shooting to occur at Forest Cove in the last two months. On August 24, 2021, Chiemere Poole, mother of 5, was killed in the complex. On August 4, 2021, 21-year-old Jaquan Montgomery was found shot to death at Forest Cove Apartments at about 9:40 p.m. In March of 2021, owners finally capitulated to residents’ demands after they took complaints of rats, insects, and mold to local news outlets. In 2018 Atlanta Police cited 197 code violations at the property. Online reviews complain that it is “unsafe to live in the complex,” discuss “rats tak[ing] over the apartment,” and describe the complex as “horrifying.”

In communities all over Atlanta, landlords may not be taking the measures they need to keep their tenants safe. It is up to the survivors of violent crime -- and the families of the victims -- to use the civil justice system to make these landlords meet their obligations and take reasonable precautions to prevent foreseeable crime. Together we can Make Atlanta Safe, one community at a time.