opinion

Don’t forget Old Wheat Street victim Cornelius Taylor. Atlanta must do better.

We call on the city to take a humane approach. Housing First has proved to be the most effective way.
Lolita Griffeth (center), Cornelius Taylor’s fiancee, speaks during a rally for Taylor in front of City Hall on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Atlanta. Taylor was killed during a sweep of an encampment of unhoused residents earlier this year. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
Lolita Griffeth (center), Cornelius Taylor’s fiancee, speaks during a rally for Taylor in front of City Hall on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Atlanta. Taylor was killed during a sweep of an encampment of unhoused residents earlier this year. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
By Allen Hall – For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3 hours ago

My name is Allen Hall. I’m a survivor from the Old Wheat Street encampment.

I write on behalf of Cornelius Taylor, who was tragically killed on Jan. 16 by a city employee who drove a front loader truck weighing 5 tons through the Old Wheat Street homeless encampment and into Cornelius Taylor’s tent while Cornelius was sleeping — crushing him to death.

Cornelius was asleep, unaware of what was unfolding. It was only after people started screaming did the front loader stop moving — but it was too late.

The autopsy report, released 10 days later, found Cornelius died of blunt force trauma; his spleen and liver had been lacerated, and his pelvis cracked in half.

Allen Hall is a survivor from the Old Wheat Street encampment. (Courtesy)
Allen Hall is a survivor from the Old Wheat Street encampment. (Courtesy)

The Old Wheat Street homeless encampment survivors to this day still grieve and carry the trauma of the loss of Cornelius Taylor — who was a friend, a neighbor and family member to us. After Cornelius’ death, the city of Atlanta made promises but did not follow through.

We are calling on the city of Atlanta to change the approach to encampment evictions.

Policies that focus on getting people out of sight is not the solution — it’s violence.

What killed Cornelius Taylor was not a guy driving a front loader, it was years of bad policy driving that thing.

We call on the city of Atlanta to take a humane approach. Housing First has proved to be the most effective approach to homelessness, with wraparound services so people can build a path to long-term stability and dignity.

Cornelius Taylor’s life mattered. What happened to Cornelius Taylor must never happen again.

Allen Hall is a survivor from the Old Wheat Street encampment.

About the Author

Allen Hall

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