Brookhaven police chief warns of rising juvenile crime as summer approaches
FULL: Brookhaven PD on juveniles accused in stolen car crash
Brookhaven Police are sharing more information about the three juveniles arrested in connection to a multi-vehicle crash involving a car they have been accused of stealing.
BROOKHAVEN, Ga. - Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley issued a strong warning Wednesday about the rising wave of serious crimes being committed by juveniles following the arrest of three teens after a multi-county high-speed chase.
What we know:
The chase, which began Tuesday morning when officers attempted to stop a stolen Nissan Rogue, spanned several cities and counties before ending in a crash on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard near I-285. Officers arrested 17-year-old Octavio Alexander Luviano and two 15-year-olds, all of whom now face a range of charges, including theft, possession of stolen property, weapons offenses, and reckless driving. Luviano will be charged as an adult under Georgia law.
RELATED: Police detail Doraville chase, crash; raise alarm over youth crime trend
What they're saying:
While Chief Gurley praised the collaboration and technology, including license plate readers and drones, that led to the teens’ safe capture, he said the incident highlights a "growing and concerning trend" of violent crimes involving juveniles.
"Too many times we’re seeing young people involved in high-risk, dangerous criminal behavior. Too many times they’re involving firearms," Gurley said. "This is not just a law enforcement problem — it’s a larger societal crisis."
Gurley stressed that families, schools, courts, community organizations, and policymakers must work together to tackle the problem. He warned that the summer months, when school is out, often see an increase in juvenile crime and specifically cited a rise in crimes involving guns.
"The reason for the cry to the community for support and help with this growing trend is because it is extremely frustrating to be involved in such a dangerous chain of events. It endangers the lives of people on the roads and the police officers trying to apprehend suspects who are shooting at people, stealing cars, and committing crimes across our metro area and the state. Too many people are being endangered by this behavior, and it is increasingly difficult to manage. Unfortunately, we are now at a point where, when these incidents happen, it’s almost expected that it’s going to be a juvenile — and that’s a dangerous place for us to be as a society and as a community."
"We must all acknowledge the urgency of this issue and work together to find meaningful solutions that provide both accountability and support before more lives are lost or ruined," Gurley said.
When asked about the role of parents, Gurley did not mince words. He criticized the lack of parental accountability and said too often police are expected to raise children who commit crimes.
"We as a family element are not taking ownership, we’re not taking accountability for the actions of our young people the way that we should," Gurley said. "Too many times we get met with a lot of excuses."
He also expressed support for ordinances that hold parents criminally responsible for the actions of their children, a growing trend he noted in other cities and counties nationwide.
"All too many times, our young people don’t seem to understand that their actions are impacting more people than just themselves. It’s impacting their families, it’s endangering innocent lives on the road," Gurley added.
The chief acknowledged frustration with the current juvenile justice system, which he said is too often ineffective at rehabilitating young offenders. He cited cases where juveniles are arrested for serious crimes like domestic violence but quickly returned home due to a point system that prevents detention.
"Although I can appreciate and respect what research tells us about rehabilitation versus incarcerating our youth… more has to be done because the rehabilitation measures currently in place aren’t doing enough," Gurley said.
OTHER RECENT STORIES
- Juvenile leads Georgia State Patrol on high-speed chase
- 16-year-old shot, killed in SW Atlanta: Advocate speaks out
- 2 juveniles charged with May 15 murder of 17-year-old in Norcross area
- Juvenile found with gunshot wound to head Tuesday night in Griffin
- Atlanta PD arrest 1 adult, 4 juveniles for car break-ins after high-speed chase
- 3 juveniles in stolen car arrested on Marietta Street in downtown Atlanta after chase
- 2 individuals wanted in connection to shooting of juvenile in Sandy Springs
- Rainbow Creek Drive shooting: Juvenile male critically injured
- Third juvenile accused in killing MARTA driver over fare surrenders to police
Dig deeper:
In 2023, juvenile (ages 16 and under) arrests in Georgia continued to reflect troubling trends, with a total of 14,696 young people charged with a range of offenses, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime statistics. Information for 2024 and 2025 has not yet been made available by the GBI.
The most common crimes included larceny-theft, accounting for 1,868 arrests, and other assaults, with 3,453 juveniles taken into custody.
Violent crimes also remained a serious concern, with 1,143 arrests for murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault combined.
Police reported 679 arrests for weapons violations and 356 for motor vehicle thefts, highlighting an alarming connection between juveniles and serious offenses involving firearms and stolen vehicles.
Click here to see the reports.
Drug-related crimes, including both possession and sales, resulted in 907 juvenile arrests.
However, 2023's overall numbers were lower than figures from 2019 (totals in 2020 and 2021 were even lower because of the pandemic). A total of 16,023 arrests were made in 2019 in comparison to the 14,696 in 2023. And there has been a huge drop in juvenile crime since 2017 when there were 24,037 arrests.
FOX 5 Atlanta has submitted requests in an attempt to acquire information for 2024 and 2025.
It does appear to be true that crimes by juveniles increase during the summer months. This is because of various reasons: increased free time because they are not attending school or participating in structured activities; increased peer pressure as a result of spending more time with their peers in the summer; lack of adult supervision (just because children have the summer off, most parents do not); and heat, which can lead to increased aggression and impulsitivity.
What Is Being Done:
Multiple cities and communities across Georgia are taking steps to curb youth crime, especially during the summer months.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens held a press conference on Wednesday to talk about the city's summer youth programs.
The mayor's Midnight Basketball program for young people has also been instrumental in helping teens get out of gangs and off the streets.
RELATED: Mayor Dickens' Midnight Basketball reducing crime in Atlanta
Many counties, like Gwinnett County, also offer youth diversion programs.
As for parents, there are steps that they can take to guide their children away from a life of crime.
1. Set clear expectations and boundaries.
2. Supervise to the best of your ability and enlist other family members and even neighbors in the effort.
3. Encourage positive activities inside and outside the home.
4. Talk to your children. Ask them about their interests, their activities, their friends and their daily lives.
5. Model good behavior. Stay out of trouble, demonstrate respect for others and for law enforcement.
6. Know the warning signs. If your child is suddenly secretive or defiant, try to find out why.
7. Secure firearms and valuables.
8. Teach accountability. Make sure your child understands the consequences for breaking the rules and the law.