Statesboro Apartment Shooting Lawyer

Apartment complexes should be safe places to live for you and your loved ones. Unfortunately, for residents in Statesboro, Georgia, like in many other communities, a person could become a victim of crime, including violent incidents such as shootings. When a shooting occurs on apartment property, the physical, emotional, and financial toll on victims and their families can be immense. Navigating the aftermath and understanding your legal options to seek justice and compensation can be challenging.

Hiring the right attorney for your case is crucial, not only for your case, but for your peace of mind. The attorneys at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm understand how stressful being injured in an apartment shooting can be, and our compassionate team is here for you when you need us. Call us today at 912-764-3434 to speak with a Statesboro apartment shooting lawyerabout your case for free.

Statesboro’s Crime Landscape

Statesboro, GA, is a city with unique challenges with regards to crime. According to data in 2023, Statesboro has a crime rate of 32 per one thousand residents, placing it among communities with some of the highest crime rates in America. This rate of crime makes Statesboro’s crime rate higher than over 86% of communities in Georgia. Furthermore, when compared to communities of similar population size across the United States, Statesboro’s crime rate stands out as higher than most.

This overall crime rate in Statesboro is influenced by both violent and property crimes. Violent crime in Statesboro occurs at a rate higher than most communities of all population sizes in America, with a chance of a person becoming a victim of violent crime, such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape, or murder, being 1 in 301. This translates to a rate of 3.32 per one thousand inhabitants.

Property crime in Statesboro is also a significant concern, with a rate of 28 per one thousand population, meaning the chance of becoming a victim of property crime is one in 36. While crime analysis over a ten-year period shows categories holding steady or decreasing according to the Statesboro Police Department, the per capita data still indicates a higher rate compared to many other places.

As alarming as these statistics are, it is important to take them into consideration and prepare yourself if you become a victim of an apartment shooting. Your rights as a victim are important, and the Statesboro apartment shooting lawyer team at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm will fight for those rights when you call them at 912-764-3434 for a free consultation.

Crime Issues in Statesboro Apartment Complexes

Statesboro Police Chief Mike Broadhead has recently highlighted issues related to crime in multifamily housing, including apartment complexes. He explains that population density is a key factor when looking at what drives criminal behavior. Two factors significantly influence criminal issues: socioeconomic level and density, which often, unfortunately, go hand-in-hand.

Several apartment complexes in Statesboro have been identified as problematic due to a high level of calls for police services or specific incidents. Examples mentioned include The Vault and Morris Heights Apartments.

Morris Heights Apartments has a history of violence and is a “high-level consumer of police services for quality-of-life crimes”.

The Vault, another apartment complex that is described as low-income housing, had 242 ‘events’ from January to April 2024, with 115 being officer-initiated checks.
While much of the activity might be considered common apartment complaints like trespassing or noise complaints, serious incidents can also occur, including aggravated assaults and gunshot incidents.

For example, in March 2025, a shooting occurred at the Southern Downs Apartment Complex stemming from a dispute, resulting in three injuries.

Another incident involved a fatal shooting at Pinewood Manor Apartments in January 2025, resulting in one death and two injuries.

Lack of security is a main problem when dealing with apartment crimes and apartment shootings. Some things to consider when looking for apartments to rent that could help mitigate crime are:

• Does the apartment complex have controlled access for pedestrians and vehicles?
• Are there cameras installed and being monitored in parking lots and common areas?
• Is there proper lighting around the complex?

Police in Statesboro have provided site studies and surveys to multiple apartment management companies, making recommendations to improve safety and security. However, despite police requests, some management companies have not implemented these recommendations. One reason suggests that apartment complexes, sometimes owned by out-of-town investment companies, are focused on financial return rather than investing in costly security improvements like fences and cameras, which can work to curb crime. The Statesboro City Council, however, has considered making grant money available to apartment complexes for these investments.

The Statesboro police have also noted a concerning trend where petty disputes among young men carrying guns escalate into gunfire, even when the issues are minor. The police have noticed that violent crime in Statesboro is being driven by people who are associated with each other, rather than strangers.

When an apartment complex is the scene of a shooting, particularly if there is a history of crime or specific security recommendations that were not implemented, the question arises whether the property owner or management company could be held legally responsible for the injuries or death that occurred.

Legal Liability: Premises Liability and Negligence

Shootings and other violent crimes on apartment property can fall under the umbrella of personal injury law, often specifically addressed through premises liability. Personal injury law aims to provide justice and compensation for those harmed due to another person’s fault or negligence.

Negligence is a core concept in many personal injury cases. It describes a situation where an individual or entity fails to exercise the necessary duty of care, and this failure causes injury or damage to another. To prove negligence in Georgia, the injured party must demonstrate four elements:

1. Duty of Care: The defendant (e.g., the property owner or management) owed a legal duty of care to the injured party (e.g., a resident or visitor). Property owners in Statesboro have a legal duty to maintain their premises in a safe condition for visitors.
2. Breach of Duty: The defendant breached that duty by failing to act with reasonable care. In premises liability, this could involve creating or failing to address hazardous conditions, such as inadequate security in an area with known crime issues.
3. Causation: There is a causal connection between the defendant’s conduct (the breach) and the resulting harm or damages. This involves showing that the shooting occurred because of the property owner’s failure to provide adequate security or address known risks. Causation can involve both “actual cause” (the conduct directly led to the harm) and “proximate causation” (whether the harm was foreseeable).
4. Damages: The injured party suffered actual harm or damages as a result of the defendant’s conduct.

In the context of apartment shootings, a property owner or management company might be considered negligent if they knew about a pattern of violent crime or security threats on or near the property but failed to take reasonable steps to protect residents and visitors. As Chief Broadhead noted, failing to implement recommended security measures like controlled access, cameras, and adequate lighting, especially after being informed of crime issues and receiving police recommendations, could potentially be viewed as a breach of the duty of care.

While a shooting involves an intentional act by the perpetrator, the property owner’s liability stems from their alleged negligence in providing security, not from directly causing the shooting itself. Proving liability requires showing that the owner’s failure to provide reasonable security made the shooting foreseeable and preventable.

Liability is not always clear-cut, and potentially culpable parties, including property owners and management companies, may point fingers at each other to avoid responsibility. Defenses property owners might use in premises liability cases include arguing they lacked notice of the danger, were unable to correct it in a timely manner, or that the injured party contributed to the incident (contributory negligence) or assumed the risk.

Choosing the Right Legal Representation–A Statesboro Apartment Shooting Lawyer for You

When facing the aftermath of a traumatic event like an apartment shooting, choosing the right legal representation is crucial. Look for a personal injury lawyer with experience handling complex cases, including premises liability and cases involving violent crime. Your lawyer should be knowledgeable about Georgia laws and have a proven track record.

Merritt & Merritt Law Firm has a Statesboro apartment shooting lawyer team that handles personal injury cases in Statesboro and are committed to fighting for victims’ rights. We understand that victims of apartment shootings face significant challenges, and we are dedicated to providing experienced legal representation.

We offer a free case evaluation to help you understand your legal options without financial obligation. Furthermore, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case. This allows victims to pursue justice and compensation without the burden of upfront legal fees.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an apartment shooting in Statesboro, do not navigate the legal process alone. Contact Merritt & Merritt Law Firm today for a free consultation at 912-764-3434 and let us help you understand your rights and work towards obtaining the compensation you deserve.