Lawsuit Alleges Insufficient Security at 2016 Georgia College Homecoming

Lawsuit Alleges Insufficient Security at 2016 Georgia College Homecoming

A lawsuit filed this week claims that a lack of sufficient security measures during 2016 homecoming activities on the Morehouse College campus led to injuries and medical bills for some attendees.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • November 05, 2018

A lawsuit filed this week claims that a lack of sufficient security measures during 2016 homecoming activities on the Morehouse College campus led to injuries and medical bills for some attendees.

According to attorney Robert A. Elsner, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of five people who attended the 2016 homecoming festivities, said a scuffle broke out in a crowded tailgating area and his clients were caught up in the fight and injured. The identities of those who inflicted the injuries are unknown, Elsner said.

“There was no security there at all and nobody to help, nobody to intervene,” Elsner said.

The five plaintiffs required emergency treatment for a combined total of about $76,000 in medical bills, according to the lawsuit.

“The cause of all the plaintiffs’ injuries was the result of the negligence and carelessness of the defendants, jointly and severally, in failing to keep the premises and approaches to Morehouse’s campus and, in particular, to the area designated as the tailgate area (safe) as required by (Official Code of Georgia article) 51-3-1,” the lawsuit reads.

The new lawsuit happens to follow a rash of crimes near the Morehouse College campus, including a robbery at gunpoint and an attempted carjacking during which a student was shot. Morehouse Police Chief Valerie Dalton said the school would launch “an aggressive campaign to equip our students, faculty and staff with safety tips that they can use when they are traveling from Morehouse College to businesses and residential areas in the neighboring community.”

Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields announced last month a campus security task force with representatives from area schools including Morehouse, and said that the police department would step up campus patrols.

“When people send their children to college, they expect them to grow and learn in a safe environment,” Shields said. “We have a responsibility to provide a strong presence and visibility around college campuses that sends a clear signal to criminals that we will not tolerate them preying on students.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Door Hardware and Campus Security: Enhancing Safety in Schools

    The importance of investing in school safety cannot be overstated, but knowing where to start implementation of school safety features can be a challenge. A recent survey by the National Center on Education Statistics found that a quarter of U.S. public schools have classrooms with doors that can't be locked from the inside. Even among schools with doors that do lock, recent legislation reflects a common misconception that simply keeping the doors locked all day will eliminate the potential for an attack, in direct violation of PASS (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools) Guidelines. Read Now

  • Brigham Young University Strengthens Campus Security With Genetec Operations Center

    Genetec Inc, a provider of enterprise physical security software, announced that Brigham Young University's (BYU) has optimized its security operations with the Genetec™ Operations Center work management system. Read Now

  • AI-based Risk Mitigation: The Next Advancement in Video Surveillance and Public Safety

    Safety is at the forefront of every organization and covers a gamut of scenarios, not just weapon-fueled lethal threats. It also includes smaller-scale and everyday situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles, and more. These issues cause disruptions in daily operations and cost companies and facilities money and downtime, so a fully realized security plan must involve actions that facility personnel should take once a hazard of any size occurs. Informing everyone that a hazard exists, where it’s located, and what actions to take is imperative for maintaining personal safety. Read Now

  • Fort Worth ISD Strengthens Event Safety

    The issue of concealed weapons being introduced into school extracurricular activities, including sporting events and graduations, became a growing concern in communities across the nation. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were at least 202 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024 across the United States, resulting in 56 deaths and 147 injuries, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols. Read Now

Most   Popular