Social media and neighborhood message board Nextdoor was lit up with reports of street racing and shots fired in Midtown on Friday night and early Saturday morning.
Images posted to Nextdoor showed bullet casings on the ground outside the Biltmore apartments on West Peachtree and a home’s shattered window from a stray bullet at West Peachtree and 7th streets.
Other residents reported street racing and stunts along Piedmont Avenue, West Peachtree, and Spring streets accompanied by loud music, screaming, and yelling,
Officer Steve Avery with the Atlanta Police Department said there were 911 reports of shots fired in Midtown and that officers were called to 855 West Peachtree around 3:15 a.m. in response to a person shot.
From the police report: “Upon arrival, officers located a male victim who sustained a single gunshot wound to his hand. He was alert, conscious and breathing and transported the hospital for treatment. At this time, the victim has not provided details surrounding the circumstances. The investigation remains ongoing.”
The City of Atlanta has been plagued by illegal street racing and stunts in recent months. Officials and residents say a lack of large-scale police response means the noisy and dangerous late-night racing continues to plague such areas as Old Fourth Ward, Midtown, and Buckhead, where Atlanta City Councilmember J.P. Matzigkeit recently hired an off-duty officer himself as a gesture of increased enforcement.
The Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance in early August that set a minimum fine of $1,000 for those caught street racing and potential jail time. In May, APD arrested 44 people, issued 114 citations, impounded 29 vehicles during a crackdown.
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