A Friday morning argument at a northwest Atlanta apartment complex ended in gunfire, leaving two teenage boys wounded and rushed to the city’s main trauma hospital, according to police.
Officers responding to Park West apartments on Peek Road found a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old with gunshot wounds and had them taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. Both teens were reported in stable condition, and investigators say the shooting appears to have started as a dispute that turned violent. No arrests had been announced as of Friday.
What police say
Officers were called to the Park West complex early Friday and located the two victims, according to Atlanta News First. The outlet reports both teenagers were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta’s Level I trauma center, where they were listed in stable condition. Grady Health notes that the hospital serves as the system’s main trauma center.
Detectives are treating the case as an argument that escalated into a shooting and are continuing to investigate the circumstances around what led to the gunfire, police said.
Where it happened
Park West is a multi-building rental community on Peek Road in northwest Atlanta that is managed by Cortland. The property’s leasing page lists community details and contact information for residents and visitors, and notes that local police have responded to incidents at the complex in past years, according to the Cortland listing.
A wider pattern
The shooting comes amid a string of violent incidents involving young people across Atlanta this spring, including a deadly April shooting at Piedmont Park that prompted officials to promise stepped-up patrols and more youth outreach. Axios reported on the Piedmont Park case and the city’s response as leaders called for community tips and more programming aimed at at-risk youth.
Community leaders have continued to press residents to share information with law enforcement to help solve cases where young victims are involved.
How to help
Police are asking anyone with information about the Park West shooting to contact Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta or the Atlanta Police Department. Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips at 404-577-TIPS (8477) and through its online portal, according to the Atlanta Police Department’s community page.
What’s next
The Atlanta Police Department’s Aggravated Assault Unit is handling the investigation and had not announced any arrests as of Friday, per Atlanta News First. Authorities are urging anyone who saw or heard anything to come forward to help identify the person or people responsible.
