Southeast Atlanta sees spike in murder cases

Atlanta police said there have been nine murders in the last eleven days. It’s the kind of crime statistic that raises eyebrows in the city and if you happen to live in a particular section of town, it is even more alarming.

The area that is seeing a spike in murders is covered by Atlanta Police Department Zone Three. It starts just south of Downtown by Turner Field and goes all the way out the southside corridor.

Stats show that from the beginning of the year through mid-June, there were 52 murders citywide. That southeast zone had 19 of those during the same period. The pattern accelerated from early June with the spike of nine homicides.

Major Adam Lee said in many of the cases, the people involved knew each other.

One of the council members from the area, Carla Smith, thinks the sizzling temperatures play a role in escalating tempers.