Man Dies After Second Shooting at Trestletree Village Apartments in a Week
A 29-year-old man died Wednesday evening after being shot multiple times near the Trestletree Village apartments on Eloise Street SE in southeast Atlanta. Police found the victim in the back seat of a vehicle and attempted life-saving measures before EMS transported him to a hospital, where he died en route.
The incident follows a separate shooting reported just a week earlier at the same apartment complex, though police have not confirmed a connection between the two cases.
Breaking Down Georgia’s Negligent Security Laws
In Georgia, people who own apartment complexes, shopping centers, or other properties have a legal duty to help keep those spaces safe. That means they’re expected to take reasonable steps to protect anyone who lives on, visits, or works at the property from crimes that could have been predicted or prevented.
If a property owner sees clear risks, like broken locks, dark hallways, or gates that don’t close, and they do nothing to fix them, that’s called negligent security. It means they didn’t do what was reasonable to keep people safe. These small issues, if ignored, can lead to bigger problems—like someone getting hurt or even killed because the place was easy for criminals to target.
But here’s the important part: the law doesn’t just let that slide. If someone gets hurt because a property owner failed to act, the victim has the right to take legal action. That means the victim or their family can sue to get help with things like medical bills or lost income, and to push for changes that make the property safer for others in the future.
So, in short: keeping places safe isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the law. And if property owners don’t take that responsibility seriously, there can be serious consequences.
Repeated History of Gun Violence at Trestletree Village Apartments
According to research conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the areas surrounding the Trestletree Village Apartments has a serious history of violent crimes. From 2019 through August 2023, the addresses in the 700 and 800 blocks of Eloise Court had 27 crimes, including seven aggravated assaults and four robberies.
At the Trestletree Court addresses, 24 crimes were reported from 2019 through July 2023, including homicide, seven aggravated assaults, a robbery and a rape. This includes a double shooting in April 2020, killing one man and injuring another.
The online reviews for the Trestletree Village Apartments provide little redemption. One resident writes the complex has had “several managers…it’s a mess. Besides other issues.” Another resident shares her complaints that the property “[is] not making required repairs…is ludicrous and no respect for the human tenants.”
It’s Up to Victims to Demand Justice
When a person is harmed due to negligent security, the impact can be huge. We’re talking about serious changes to someone’s life: they might be physically injured, emotionally shaken, and even struggle financially because they can’t work or have big medical bills.
The police will usually try to catch the person who committed the crime. But here’s the thing: they don’t go after the property owner for not keeping the area safe. That part? It’s up to the victim and their family. They have to take legal action if they want to hold the property owner accountable.
By filing something called a negligent security claim, victims can try to get money to cover things like medical expenses, lost income, and other costs. But it’s not just about money—it’s also about saying, “This should not have happened,” and pushing property owners to do better.
When people speak up through legal action, it can lead to real changes, like better lighting, working gates, and safer spaces. So, demanding justice isn’t just about helping the person who was hurt. It’s about making sure everyone who lives or visits that place is safer in the future.
Together we can Make Georgia Safe, one community at a time.