Man killed during clearing of homeless encampment near Ebenezer Baptist Church
ATLANTA - The CEO of Hosea Helps, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the homeless, is speaking out following the death of a man during an incident on Old Wheat Street yesterday near Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Activists and people in Atlanta’s homeless community gathered and held a vigil at the site where a man experiencing homelessness was killed in an incident with an Atlanta City Public Works truck.
Man killed during homeless camp clearing
What we know:
According to the City of Atlanta Department of Public Works, the man and a city vehicle were involved in an "incident" around noon on Thursday.
According to city officials, the crews were working to clear a homeless camp in the area. "Our department routinely clears encampments that pose health and public safety concerns, always following days of outreach to connect unsheltered individuals with housing and support services," a statement from DPW reads in part.
He later died at the hospital.
Witnesses at the camp and homeless outreach groups like Hosea Helps tell FOX 5 a garbage truck ran over the man as he slept in his tent.
Anthony Richardson lived at the same homeless encampment where this man was killed.
"My tent was right behind his, that could’ve been me if I didn’t leave," Richardson said.
A vigil held for a man killed during a homeless camp clearing in Atlanta on Jan. 17, 2025. (FOX 5)
He said City crews did announce they were coming in to clear away the tents, but also says the victim was asleep at the time.
"We could hear him snoring," Richardson said.
Homeless camp death investigation
What we don't know:
After numerous requests from FOX 5, officials so far will not reveal exactly what happened. "As this is an open investigation, we are unable to provide specific details about the incident at the encampment. Closing encampments is a dynamic and collaborative process that prioritizes 90 days+ of extensive outreach leading up to the closure to connect unsheltered individuals with housing, resources and support services before any site is cleared," a statement from Cathryn Vassell, CEO for Partners for HOME, reads in part.
A man died after a homeless camp was being cleared by the city of Atlanta on Jan. 16, 2025. (FOX 5)
FOX 5 is still awaiting confirmation of the victim’s identity from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office.
Elisabeth Omilami, CEO of Hosea Helps, claims the man was run over. "The tragic incident where a garbage truck ran over a homeless man right across from Ebenezer Baptist Church—next to the sacred grounds of Dr. King's gravesite—screams of a systemic failure to value human life, especially those most vulnerable among us," she wrote in a statement.
Vigil for man killed in homeless camp
What they're saying:
Now activists say the city needs to be held accountable for the untimely death.
"We all want to make sure that this horrific event never happens again in this city," said one of the leaders of Housing Justice League who organized the vigil.
Activists and friends of the man killed at the former homeless encampment on Old Wheat Street, just around the corner from the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, lit candles to honor his memory.
"So, it's very important that Cornelius Taylor is not forgotten, is not pretended like he didn't exist, which is, I think, what happened here," said Monica Johnson, Director of Organizing for Housing Justice League.
Omilami, and her husband, actor Afemo Omilami, issued a statement condemning the incident. They said, "This incident cannot be swept under the rug. The people responsible for this need to be held accountable. They should be removed from their positions immediately."
A vigil held for a man killed during a homeless camp clearing in Atlanta on Jan. 17, 2025. (FOX 5)
"The people that gave the green light need to be held accountable. They need to lose their jobs, and the process needs to be examined. And we need to understand that this can never happen, there is no excuse," said Omilami.
"Somebody was run over and killed and not even immediately. I don’t see how we move forward continuing to do this until we have an understanding of what went wrong here," Bakhtiari said.
"I am saddened by this terrible incident and extend my thoughts and prayers to the family of the deceased. I care deeply about each and every life in this city. We will review each of our processes and procedures and take every precaution to ensure this never happens again and while we continue our important work to house our unsheltered population and bring our neighbors inside," Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens wrote.
"Closing encampments is a dynamic and collaborative process that prioritizes 90 days+ of extensive outreach leading up to the closure to connect unsheltered individuals with housing, resources and support services before any site is cleared," a statement from Vassell continues. "Outreach is always the first step of any encampment closures. The outreach teams build personal relationships with the residents, guided by a belief that even if they refuse help one, three or ten times they will eventually accept housing assistance and access to wraparound services. The first engagement with this encampment began the week of April 5, 2024. Individuals began transitioning to shelter on June 7, 2024. Through these ongoing efforts, 21 individuals have been connected to shelter and housing."
"This work is challenging, but we are unwavering in our commitment to supporting our neighbors and building a community where everyone has the opportunity to find stability and thrive," Vassell added.
Were the homeless camp's tents checked?
Dig deeper:
FOX 5 reached out to the City of Atlanta Public Works Department and APD to ask whether crews checked the tents before driving the truck in.
APD wrote in a statement:
"The Atlanta Police Department’s H.O.P.E. Team does conduct routine visits in partnership with Partners for Home and other organizations to unsheltered encampments to provide resources and assistance to individuals who accept. These visits are conducted prior to the removal of heavy items within the encampment. The current investigation remains active and open at this time."
Calls to change homeless policy
What's next:
Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari attended the vigil.
She’s now calling for a stop to all homeless encampment sweeps for the time being.
Bakhtiari said she’s going to be calling for changes to how the city deals with homeless encampments at the upcoming City Council meeting next Tuesday.
Housing activists are also calling on people to show up to that meeting to call for change.
Omilami is calling for transparency and accountability as the investigation continues. Further updates from authorities are expected.
The Atlanta Police Department's Homicide Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the man's death.
DPW officials say they are cooperating fully with APD.