Was Security Adequate at A&H Apartments?

An all-too-familiar subject just scrolled across my news feed: someone was shot at an apartment complex. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a man was shot in the head at the A&H Apartments in the 600 block of Hill Street in Forest Park, Georgia. The victim’s status is unknown, and he is receiving emergency medical care at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Whenever such a headline crosses my desk, I immediately feel a sense of sadness and distress that lives are continuing to be lost, usually senselessly. My next thought is whether the apartment complex had adequate security measures in place. It is undeniable that inadequate security leads to thousands of violent crimes across the country each year, including in Georgia.

Inadequate Security in Georgia

In Georgia, businesses, such as apartment complexes, have a duty or responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect their residents, guests, and lawful visitors. It does not take much contemplation to understand why. If a business is having people on its property for money-making purposes, the business should make sure those persons are safe. Or at least do what is reasonable to ensure their safety. You cannot have an unsafe environment, ask people to come there and spend their money, and not warn or protect them against the dangers you are luring them into.

Because businesses must act reasonably to protect unsuspecting potential victims, Georgia law allows victims to sue and hold accountable businesses whose inadequate security leads to their injury.

Quick Analysis: Was it Inadequate Security?

At this point, it is unknown whether the A&H Apartment shooting victim was shot because of inadequate security at the apartment complex. But it is worth investigating to get an answer to that question. The basic analysis would be as follows:

• A. Is this a commercial property?
• B. Was there a history of serious crime at the property?
• C. Was there a history of serious crime in the immediate vicinity of the apartment complex?
• D. Was the victim innocent?
• E. Did the owner or management know about the history of serious crime?
  • 1. If so, did the owner or management put in place sufficient security measures to deter other acts of serious crime on the property?
  • 2. If not, why in the world not?

If these questions yield sufficient answers, then the victim, or the victim’s family, may be able to sue the apartment complex managers and owners for inadequate security. The victim should not have to endure tremendous medical bills and pain and suffering without the owners or managers stepping up and taking responsibility for their role in the crime.

At The Dixon Firm, our personal injury lawyers constantly fight for victims of crime on commercial property, including people who suffered the worst fates, such as being stabbed, shot, or sexually assaulted. We have seen some of the worst that the bad folk in society can do, but we fight tremendously hard to get the best possible outcomes for our clients.

Let’s pray for the A&H Apartments victim. Let’s pray for us all.