Man killed in shooting at troubled NW Atlanta apartment complex

A man was fatally shot at the Vue at Harwell apartment complex Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Credit: Henri Hollis

Credit: Henri Hollis

A man was fatally shot at the Vue at Harwell apartment complex Wednesday morning, authorities said.

A man was shot and killed Wednesday morning at a troubled apartment complex in northwest Atlanta, police said.

At about 9:30 a.m., Atlanta officers responded to the Vue at Harwell on Harwell Road, located near I-285 and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. A caller reported that a person was shot, and when officers arrived they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.

The victim, identified as 29-year-old Zakee Freeman, was pronounced dead at the scene by medical crews, police said.

The Vue at Harwell, formerly known as Daron Village, is among 272 of the metro area’s persistently dangerous complexes, according to an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that looked into serious crimes, lax maintenance and other hazards in Atlanta neighborhoods.

Since 2017, the complex has been the site of five homicides, seven robberies and 38 aggravated assaults, along with sex crimes and other felonies. It has also racked up more than 150 code complaints, and in July 2022 the city announced the complex was placed on a list of properties to be targeted for chronic crime and condition problems.

In late January, gunfire again erupted at the complex, leaving a man dead. Vaughn Leard, 33, was shot at least once and died at the scene, according to authorities.

A motive is unclear in both recent shootings. Police have not said what led to the gunfire or if any arrests have been made.

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