‘Wicked’ vandals topple 50 tombstones at historic South Fulton cemetery
The occupants of more than 50 grave plots in South Fulton aren’t being allowed to rest peacefully after their tombstones were vandalized and destroyed, officials said.
Nearby residents told Channel 2 Action News that vandalism at the Red Oak Cemetery on Roosevelt Highway is getting worse. South Fulton Councilwoman Helen Zenobia Willis said she wants whoever is responsible prosecuted.
“I think whoever did this is wicked,” she told Channel 2. “Respect the dead.”
Willis told the news station that prominent people from as far back as the 1800s are buried at the cemetery, including a superior court judge from the early 1900s.
The Historic Red Oak Cemetery Association, which maintains the cemetery, went to the city in August to complain about repeated vandalism after more than 100 tombstones were toppled in the preceding months.
Since the problem continues, Willis said she wants cameras and a fence installed around the cemetery.
His family’s headstones were among more than 50 damaged by vandals at a historic cemetery. The bold idea he has to keep the crooks out. That’s coming up at 5:44. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/zkyhS0owc8
— Tom Jones (@TomJonesWSBTV) February 26, 2019
Doug Brown, a member of the association, told Channel 2 his family’s grave site was vandalized this year and last year.
“These people need to be stopped. This is sick,” he said.
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About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
