This week brings disturbing news about a security guard shot in Atlanta and another in Dallas. In two unrelated events, one protection officer suffered deadly wounds, while the second guard is recovering after the assault. Police are investigating both crimes and searching for the assailants and potential witnesses.
What’s more, both events triggered a series of online and offline discussions about the victims’ situational awareness. In addition, many are asking what bystanders could have done to alert the authorities faster or even intervene to avert the tragedy.
Let’s look at the available information about what happened in the two US cities.
Atlanta Attack: Security Guard Shot Dead
As for the shooting in Dogwood City — a frequent reference to Atlanta — a gunman walked up behind a security guard, pulling the trigger right after approaching the victim.
Fortunately, surveillance footage exists that shows several key witnesses and the perpetrator. However, the person responsible for the attack wore a face mask during the assault, making himself unrecognizable.
Leading up to the event, a high-resolution CCTV camera captured the security guard as he was leaving a black GMC. In a brief moment, it seems that something drew his attention away from his immediate environment. This resulted in his cluelessness as to the looming threat.
We bring you the video that the Atlanta Police Department published just yesterday on their YouTube channel:
The police tried to spare the public from the horrendous crime’s details. Hence, they censored the part where the assailant shoots the security guard from a very close distance.
Further, the actual motivation for committing the crime remains unclear. However, the police video reveals the perpetrator scavenging around the security guard’s body shortly after.
Additionally, a potential witness of the crime — an older individual who stood nearby and observed the whole event — raised his hands as the assailant walked past him. Finally, the perpetrator headed towards the woods behind the business in front of which the crime took place.
In the aftermath of the event, three persons approached the victim, who lay motionless on the ground.
The authorities are offering a USD2,000 reward for information that could lead to the gunman’s arrest. In addition, the police invite anyone with knowledge of the said event to call the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477).
Dallas Attack: Security Guard Survived
An unknown person shot a male security guard following a confrontation with his female colleague at a Dallas strip club. In short, she had earlier suffered an attack by the hand of a person she wanted to remove from the establishment. Finally, the unresolved conflict led her to call backup.
At the end of their shift, both the security guard shot afterward and his colleagues entered a vehicle, leaving the club. While driving about a block south of the Dallas strip club, someone fired in the direction of their car. At that time, the protection officer suffered head wounds and was taken to the nearest hospital.
Unlike the Atlanta victim, this time, the target survived. In fact, the hospital staff treated and released the security guard shot in the vehicle.
According to media reports, “Investigators later learned the shooting took place about a block away and that the guard who worked at the strip club was not injured.”
Besides, the police are unsure whether the confrontation at the said club has indisputably led to the shooting afterward. But residents have been combating strip clubs’ open hours for a while.
Interestingly, the Dallas City Council voted in January to order adult businesses to close their doors between 2 and 6 in the morning. Also, they requested that all employees be at least 21 years old, instead of 18 — as has been the case so far.
In any event, this is not the only gun crime related to strip clubs in Dallas. Back in 2017 and 2019, two separate events occurred, with two people killed and one wounded in the leg outside adult business locales.
What do you think, EP Wired readers? How could these horrendous crimes have been averted?
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