3-Year-Old Shot at Georgia Apartment Complex: $31 Million Negligent Security Settlement

A 3-year-old girl was standing in a parking lot with her mother, outside her grandmother's apartment, when gunfire erupted.

Unknown assailants had gained access to the Arborside Apartment Complex in DeKalb County, Georgia, and opened fire. The child was hit. She was initially paralyzed. Through extensive medical care and rehabilitation, she has since regained limited function and mobility.

The property owners settled for $31 million — one of the largest negligent security settlements in Georgia history. The case was announced in February 2026.

Why the Property Is Liable

The Arborside Apartment Complex had a documented history of criminal activity. Under Georgia premises liability law, property owners have a duty to protect residents and visitors from foreseeable criminal acts. When a property has a known pattern of violent crime, the owner is required to take reasonable security measures.

The plaintiffs argued that the property owner knew — or should have known — that the complex was a target for violent crime, and that the security measures in place were inadequate to prevent foreseeable harm.

A 3-year-old is not capable of assessing security risk. She was present at the property because her grandmother lived there. The failure to secure the premises fell entirely on the property owner.

The Scale of the Problem

Negligent security at apartment complexes is not a rare legal theory. It is one of the most common premises liability claims in the United States. Shootings, assaults, robberies, and sexual assaults at apartment complexes generate thousands of lawsuits annually.

The pattern repeats: a property with known crime. Inadequate lighting, broken gates, absent or undertrained security staff, no surveillance cameras. A violent incident occurs. The victim or their family discovers the property's prior crime history during litigation.

Courts have consistently held that property owners cannot ignore known criminal activity on their premises and then claim they could not have foreseen the next incident.

What Residents Should Know

If you live at an apartment complex and are concerned about security, document everything. Note broken gates, non-functional cameras, poor lighting, and any criminal incidents you witness or learn about. Report concerns to management in writing.

If a violent crime occurs at a property with known security failures, the property owner may be liable for your injuries — regardless of whether the actual attacker is identified or caught.

For background on how negligent security claims are litigated, read the 411 Press negligent security guide.