Gruesome discovery: Woman steps out back door to find man impaled on fence

Sandy Springs police believe a man's attempts to jump a wrought-iron fence may have killed him.
 
Police told WSB they got a call about 11 a.m. Thursday that a woman had found a man impaled on a fence behind her home near Atlanta.
 
Investigators want to know who he is and why he was there.
 
"It's sickening to think about someone could just lose their life like that," said Lee Nicholson, who was visiting the Highland at Sandy Springs neighborhood. "Not sure what they were trying to do to get into the back of the neighborhood."
 
Sgt. Ron Momon said it appears the man tried to scale a fence but landed on the spikes.
 
"A lady came outside her back door and found an individual impaled in a fence behind her home," Momon said. "We do have information from neighbors that apparently there was a male individual that frequently crossed over this particular fence going into the neighborhood.  We don't know if it's the same individual or not."
 
Neighbor Bailey Smith told Petchenik the homeowners association sent out an email to homeowners about the gruesome discovery.
 
"We are very sad to report there's been a tragic accident that has resulted in a death in our neighborhood," the e-mail from the HOA reads.
 
Smith said she wonders if it's someone who was coming into the neighborhood to cause problems.
 
"We've had break-ins and stolen packages, damage to the pool house, that kind of stuff," Smith said.
 
"We haven't any recent burglaries in that neighborhood, but we'll look at all angles," Momon told Petchenik.  
 
Police told Petchenik the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy Friday morning.
 
They aren't releasing the identity of the victim at this point.