A man was shot and killed Saturday afternoon at Camelot Condominiums, the South Fulton complex whose name has become shorthand for violence and decay across metro Atlanta. South Fulton police responded to the scene at about 1:30 p.m. and found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds; officers gave him emergency aid before he was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect fled and remains at large as detectives investigate.
According to WSB-TV, South Fulton Fire and Rescue also responded to the scene, and a family member identified the deceased as Wendell Lowe Sr. Detectives with the South Fulton Police Department are still working to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting. Channel 2 Action News reported that residents have had ongoing issues at the complex over the years, and that Camelot has experienced both murders and fires.
The Lowe name is not new to Camelot's violent history. In September 2023, Wendell Lowe was shot and killed at the complex, three months after his brother was also fatally shot there. It is not yet clear from available reporting how Saturday's victim relates to that earlier case.
A Complex With One Of Metro Atlanta's Worst Homicide Records
Camelot Condominiums has drawn scrutiny for years as one of the region's most dangerous residential properties. The complex has seen 15 homicides since 2019, including six fatal shootings in 2023 alone.
The complex has faced years of safety problems and building damage. Beyond gun violence, fires have also displaced residents at the property.
City's Response Has Focused On Code Enforcement
The City of South Fulton has described Camelot as private property and cited pending code-enforcement charges in addressing conditions at the complex.
Those legal limits have not stopped the city from targeting the worst of the physical decay. In February, South Fulton began a $283,000 demolition project with Carrollton-based M Mitchell Group to tear down fire-damaged Building 900, the first of four blighted structures slated for removal, Hoodline reported. A second building has also been demolished, and Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs committed to further teardowns to improve safety and encourage redevelopment.
Years earlier, in January 2022, then-Mayor khalid kamau signed a lease and moved into a unit at Camelot to draw attention to unsafe conditions, black mold, and code violations, living on-site for several months.
Saturday's shooting adds another chapter to a complex that has cycled through fires and gunfire even as city crews work through a slow demolition schedule aimed at eventually redeveloping the site. WSB-TV.com described the story as developing. South Fulton police have not released a description of the suspect who fled the scene.
