Atlanta policy for big events under scrutiny after fatal teen shooting in Piedmont Park

Atlanta reconsidering big event safety policies

Atlanta city leaders and frustrated Midtown residents are calling for a complete revisit of special event permitting after a fatal shooting at Piedmont Park exposed major security and traffic concerns.

ATLANTA - After the gridlocked traffic and a chaotic environment that led to a fatal shooting in Piedmont Park at Saturday's 404 Day festivities, people who live in the area are frustrated. 

Council member Alex Wan, who has resided in the neighborhood for 30 years, told residents he shared their questions.

"I don’t recall experiencing anything this disruptive during my time here," Councilmember Wan wrote in a message to residents. "I had already been in discussions with Piedmont Park Conservancy and neighborhood leadership about revisiting the entire special events program."

In a news conference on Monday, Mayor Andre Dickens said police and security presence met city standards, but neighbors said it was not enough. 

Timeline:

An initial shooting led to the event ending early around 7:45 p.m., but many 404 Day attendees were still in the park when the second shooting happened just after 9 p.m., which claimed the life of 16-year-old Tianah Robinson.

FOX 5 has learned that prior to the event, the Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU-E) and the Midtown Neighbors’ Association both recommended that the permit for the gathering be denied.

Ultimately, the Mayor's Office of Special Events approved it anyway. 

"I don't really see where the event organizers, or the city, quite frankly, particularly to this event, could have done anything differently," Wayne Martin, Atlanta Councilmember and Public Safety Vice Chair, said. "Last weekend really should provide some lessons for us."

The other side:

The shooting was top of mind during a virtual NPU-E meeting Tuesday evening.

Members agreed with Coucilmember Wan in seeing a need for a review of safety standards for big events. 

"Outdoor festivals shape the environment in and around them — affecting crowd size, movement patterns, waste management, sound — and there is a necessary level of coordination required between permitted and unpermitted activity during the city's permit decision," the Midtown Neighbors' Association wrote in an email. "In our view, these combined conditions were a contributing factor to the setting in which this tragedy occurred.

In the meeting, Zone 5 commander, Major Christian Hunt, gave a harrowing recount of providing cover for medics who were responding to the initial shooting, when the second shooting began.

"When I arrived on scene in my office, we started giving care," Major Christian Hunt, Atlanta Police Zone 5 Commander, said. "I was there when the second round of gunshots went off. I can't say more proud of my officers as they took off running towards the sounds of gunshots."

SEE ALSO: Piedmont Park shooting: 911 calls reveal frantic moments after shots fired

What's next:

Councilmember Martin said part of the conversation will have to be about parents taking control of unsupervised teens, but he said nothing is off the table as they look for new ideas before World Cup visitors flock to town. 

Looking ahead to this coming weekend, officials expect the Dogwood Festival to attract a crowd of 200,000 at Piedmont Park.

To prepare, Major Hunt says 25 officers will be stationed in the park along with 25 security guards.