The Atlanta Police Department announced Tuesday “multiple acts of violence” broke out in Atlanta over the Labor Day weekend which resulted in 17 individuals being shot.
Five individuals out of the 17 shot died during the string of violence beginning Friday, September 1 through Monday, September 4, according to APD.
Many of the incidents over the holiday weekend were the result of “escalated disputes and or domestic disputes that escalated to gunfire, leading to death or serious injury,” APD said.
“The Atlanta Police Department has focused much of our efforts in areas we know we can make an impact, mainly gang strongholds and areas frequented by repeat violent offenders,” APD said in a statement. “Our efforts have been successful, but this weekend is an example of violence occurring in areas where we simply cannot have a significant impact, gatherings of family and friends and disputes inside private residences.”
APD noted that while its officers have “worked hard trying to reduce violent crime,” it acknowledged, “periods such as this show that we still have work to do in our efforts to keep Atlanta safe for community members and visitors.”
“We are aware that the Atlanta Police Department could not be as successful as we are without assistance from the community. We ask that the public continue to employ de-escalation techniques when available, call police when the possibility of violence could arise, or even leave a location to allow cooler heads time to prevail,” APD said.
In the five fatal shooting cases over the holiday weekend, the motives included a couple breaking up; an argument between roommates; a dispute between an uncle and niece involving unpaid rent; motor vehicle theft; and a domestic dispute involving children.
“This department will continue to hold drug dealers accountable, gang members accountable, and individuals that are running guns in our city, but we cannot be present in every living room. We cannot be present in every setting of a home where we need others to be able to intervene to stop violence occurring,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters over the weekend.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network.
