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Crime at the gas pump: What we learned from one busy Atlanta corridor

March 15, 2023 Atlanta: A man was fatally shot at a southwest Atlanta gas station Wednesday morning, March 15, 2023 according to police. Atlanta officers responded to the area of Gordon Terrace and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Mozley Park neighborhood around 7:30 a.m. When they got there, they found a man with a gunshot wound, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity has not been released by police. Details are limited, but investigators believe the man was shot at a Shell gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and then made his way around the corner to Gordon Terrace, where someone called 911. No other information has been disclosed by police. (John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com)

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

March 15, 2023 Atlanta: A man was fatally shot at a southwest Atlanta gas station Wednesday morning, March 15, 2023 according to police. Atlanta officers responded to the area of Gordon Terrace and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Mozley Park neighborhood around 7:30 a.m. When they got there, they found a man with a gunshot wound, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity has not been released by police. Details are limited, but investigators believe the man was shot at a Shell gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and then made his way around the corner to Gordon Terrace, where someone called 911. No other information has been disclosed by police. (John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com)
By and Mandi Albright
July 27, 2023

The Martin Luther King Jr. corridor on the west side of Atlanta is a particular hotspot for gas stations where crimes have been reported, with relatively few arrests.

Amid concerns about crime near gas stations and convenience stores, Atlanta city officials are considering an ordinance that would require high-definition security cameras at gas pumps, following a similar law change in DeKalb County.

An analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of police data showed that officers responded to nearly 5,500 calls for service across 14 gas stations on the busy roadway since January 2022. Those calls resulted in just 376 arrests.

This interactive map explores those crime reports.

ExploreRead more: Atlanta leaders want cameras at gas station pumps

About the Authors

Riley Bunch is a reporter on the local government team at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covering Atlanta City Hall. She covers the mayor and Atlanta City Council while also keeping an eye on the city’s diverse neighborhoods.

Follow Riley Bunch on twitter

Mandi Albright writes the AJC's Deja News feature and is an online presentation specialist with the AJC's Digital Presentation team.

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