Justice for Woman Shot in South Fulton Walmart Parking Lot

What responsibility did Walmart have to provide security that could have prevented a parking lot attack?”

Police arrested a woman suspected of shooting another in the parking lot of an Atlanta-area Walmart in South Fulton on Old National Highway. Medics rushed the victim to a nearby hospital where she is reported to be in serious condition.

In a city such as Atlanta which is struggling with violent crime, parking lots can be a notoriously dangerous place. Property owners and managers — especially those as large as Walmart — know they have a legal obligation to take reasonable precautions to protect their patrons from known risks. If Walmart knew there was a problem with people being accosted in their parking lot and they failed to take additional precautions to protect customers, they could be held legally liable for damages inflicted upon the victim.

Many of the details of this incident are unknown, and there are reports that the shooting was preceded by an argument. If it turns out the two participants knew one another, and if they both participated in aggressive behavior, the violence is unlikely to fall under Georgia’s negligent security laws. However, if the attacker was a stranger who was drawn to the Walmart parking lot because she felt it gave her an opportunity to get away with a crime, then Georgia law may provide the survivor of this attack a way to pursue justice through the civil court system.

Police can only do so much to fight violent crime in Atlanta. It is up to victims and survivors of violent crimes to stand up and demand property owners and managers make changes to keep their customers safe. In this way, we can help Make Atlanta Safe, one property at a time.