Blue metropolis appears to halt homeless encampment sweeps after metropolis truck crushes sleeping man

The mayor of Atlanta is trying to pause the town’s homeless encampment sweeps following an incident when witnesses mentioned they watched a metropolis truck fatally crush a sleeping man two weeks in the past.

Based on a FOX 5 Atlanta report, witnesses described seeing an Atlanta Metropolis Public Works truck run over the person whereas he was asleep in his tent earlier this month. The Fulton County Medical Examiner later recognized the sufferer as 49-year-old Cornelius Taylor.

“The male was transported to the hospital the place he was pronounced deceased,” the Atlanta Police Division mentioned in an announcement. “The murder unit responded to the scene and would be the lead on this demise investigation.”

“I’m saddened by this horrible incident and prolong my ideas and prayers to the household of the deceased,” Mayor Andre Dickens mentioned in an announcement. “We are going to overview every of our processes and procedures and take each precaution to make sure this by no means occurs once more and whereas we proceed our necessary work to accommodate our unsheltered inhabitants and convey our neighbors inside.”

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Cornelius Taylor, 49, died after a homeless camp was being cleared by the town of Atlanta on Jan. 16, 2025. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

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In a video posted on his Instagram account final Friday, Dickens additionally mentioned that he’s working with the Atlanta Metropolis Council to introduce new laws to handle the state of affairs.

“This laws additionally features a momentary moratorium on encampment closures to permit us time to strengthen our insurance policies and increase our outreach efforts, making certain that this work will be achieved safely and {that a} tragedy like this by no means occurs once more,” Dickens mentioned.

Companions for HOME, a Division of Housing and City Improvement program, mentioned the encampment had prior discover earlier than metropolis officers started to clear it.

“Closing encampments is a dynamic and collaborative course of that prioritizes 90 days+ of intensive outreach main as much as the closure to attach unsheltered people with housing, sources and assist companies earlier than any website is cleared,” Cathryn Vassell, the CEO for Companions for HOME, mentioned in an announcement reported by FOX 5. 

Dozens of individuals attended a vigil held for Cornelius Taylor, who was killed throughout a homeless camp clearing, in Atlanta on Jan. 17, 2025. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

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Anthony Richardson, who lived on the similar homeless encampment the place Taylor was killed, confirmed to the native station that metropolis crews introduced plans to clear away tents however mentioned the sufferer probably didn’t hear the announcement at the moment.

“We might hear him loud night breathing,” Richardson mentioned to FOX 5. 

“My tent was proper behind his, that would’ve been me if I didn’t depart,” he continued.

A vigil was held for Cornelius Taylor, who was killed throughout a homeless camp clearing, in Atlanta on Jan. 17, 2025. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

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Atlanta is going through a few of the worst homeless crises within the nation. Whereas homelessness throughout the metropolis limits has general decreased within the final decade, the 2024 Companions for HOME point-in-time depend report recorded a 7% improve since 2023 to almost 2,900 individuals.