City leaders plan to address growing security concerns at Lenox Square

ATLANTA - Residents and business leaders are concerned after recent violence in the Buckhead area.

This comes after Friday’s Shooting inside Lenox Mall that sent a man to the hospital.

Friday’s incident marked the fourth shooting at the mall this year.

“I would hope people put the guns down,” Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore said.

Moore also said it’s time for leadership to come together to make sure you stay safe.

This comes after another shooting at Lenox Mall Friday inside the Apple store. One man was sent to the hospital after being shot in the rear.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 20: A view of an empty parking at Lenox Square as the mall is closed temporarily to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 20, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

“My hope is the police department and Simon properties get together and figure it out and they can coordinate security efforts there and make it more safe,” Moore said.

The Buckhead Coalition sent a statement announcing a partnership with other community organizations to introduce a ‘Buckhead Security Plan’ with the promise to increase the safety and security of the community.

“It’s happening at night clubs. It‘s happening all over. For some reason, people are finding ways to settle disputes with firearms. People use to fight now they don’t fight they just pull out firearms,” Moore said.

Council President Moore wanted to get a first-hand look at security precautions already in place at the mall so she visited over the weekend.

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“I was by two vehicles, security or police vehicles with blue lights on. That’s a good signal to everyone coming into the mall that there’s security there,” Moore said.

Moore admits there’s more work to be done, “A lot of the stories I’ve heard have taken place in the parking lot or the parking deck levels."

As the violence seems to be constant Moore hopes things will stay safe as we approach the holidays.

“I hope that when we come out we can come out in the spirit of Christmas and be joyful and patient with each other and not escalate into gunfire,” Moore said.

The Buckhead Coalition plans to plan in the next few weeks.

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