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Atlanta City Council to consider resolution to shorten e-scooter curfew for second time

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Atlanta City Council to consider resolution to shorten e-scooter curfew for second time


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Nearly five years after adopting an e-scooter curfew after a series of traffic fatalities, the Atlanta City Council will consider a resolution to address whether to shorten the curfew for the second time in two years.

“We want you to be connected, we want you to be in a walkable city, but we’re preventing you from using some of the tools that are eligible for you at night,” said District 12 City Councilman Antonio Lewis, who sponsored the resolution.

The change would shorten the curfew to two hours, 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. It’s currently from midnight to 4 a.m.

For most people, e-scooters from companies like Byrd and Lime are practical means of transportation.

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Raegan Turner and Mackenzie O’Brien often work downtown past midnight as servers.

“It’s cool and convenient because I don’t have a car,” Turner said.

Turner believes the change would promote safer movement.

“I don’t have to walk in the middle of the night — as a girl — which is very unsafe in the city,” she added.

But the curfew was originally a safety protocol, running from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., after multiple scooter-accident deaths in 2019.

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The Atlanta City Council instituted the curfew, but even at the time, there was concern that the problem was not scooters but Atlanta’s streets.

In 2022, a Georgia Tech study found that the scooter curfew was hurting city traffic, which led the city council to shorten the curfew from midnight to 4 a.m.

Now, it could be scaled back again to help workers who get off late at night.

“It would make it a lot more accessible for different modes of public transportation,” O’Brien said.

In the years since the curfew began, Atlanta’s roads have also changed.

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“I think sometimes the roads were a little too tight, like, for cartoon characters,” said Sara Tan, operations manager at EStar Rides in South Atlanta. “The infrastructure is preparing for it. So, they’re redoing a lot of our roads now.”

That includes where Turner and O’Brien ate lunch on Memorial Drive SE on Monday afternoon.

“They just did this, like, I wanna say six months ago,” Turner said, pointing out dedicated lanes separating bikes and scooters from car traffic.

It’s work like the construction on Memorial Drive that has Lewis feeling like Atlanta is ready to consider a change.

“There’s no reason for us to be so hard on folks who want to ride a scooter,” he said.

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Atlanta, GA

Police increase presence across metro Atlanta amid teen takeover rumors

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Police increase presence across metro Atlanta amid teen takeover rumors


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Popular gathering spots across metro Atlanta saw heightened law enforcement presence Saturday night following rumors of potential “teen takeovers.”

Authorities say a similar event last weekend led to more than a dozen teenagers and adults being taken into custody. In response, agencies across the metro area are stepping up patrols in several high-traffic areas, including the Beltline and the Cumberland Mall and Battery districts.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 9 juveniles, 8 adults charged after weekend ‘takeover’ event at The Battery

Along the Atlanta Beltline, Atlanta police confirmed they increased staffing levels as a precaution. An APD officer on scene told Atlanta News First that officers are maintaining an enhanced presence due to the takeover rumors. An Atlanta News First crew observed multiple people put in handcuffs and an APD officer at the Beltline said four guns had been confiscated.

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Multiple patrol units were visible along the Beltline, with officers monitoring foot traffic and briefly detaining several individuals. Police said the show of force is intended to deter large, disruptive gatherings before they begin.

Cumberland Mall to have teen curfew Saturday after ‘takeover’ at The Battery

In Cobb County, law enforcement agencies are coordinating efforts around Cumberland Mall and The Battery Atlanta. The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office deployed its mounted patrol unit, with four deputies on horseback circling the mall. Units from the Cobb County Police Department, Marietta Police Department, and the Georgia State Patrol were also seen monitoring traffic and pedestrian activity in the area.

Electronic message boards and posted signage between Cumberland and The Battery warned visitors of the increased law enforcement presence. Officers said the goal is to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s arrests and ensure public safety.

For now, officials say the evening remains calm, but they are prepared to respond quickly if large crowds begin to form.

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Atlanta, GA

Shooting causes lockdown at Mall of Stonecrest

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Shooting causes lockdown at Mall of Stonecrest


Police at the Mall of Stonecrest (FOX 5)

The DeKalb County Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred at the Mall of Stonecrest on Saturday afternoon.

What we know:

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The department was alerted to the shooting around 12:40 p.m. Officers responded to the mall and immediately began a search of the premises. In an early update, police stated the mall was on lockdown and that no victim had been found.

A few hours later, police confirmed a victim had been located and several people were detained after running away from the mall. The injured person was transported to a hospital and is expected to survive.

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The mall remained on lockdown as of 3:45 p.m. as officers continued clearing the building. Police said the process could take several hours and requested that the public continue to avoid the area.

DeKalb police stated there is no further danger to the public. 

What we don’t know:

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At this time, it is unclear what led to the shooting or if any of the detained individuals have been charged.

The Source: Information in this article came from the DeKalb County Police Department via an email. 

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Atlanta, GA

The Pulse: Are pajamas really banned at the airport?

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The Pulse: Are pajamas really banned at the airport?


The show highlights a tongue-in-cheek social media “ban” on pajamas and Crocs at Tampa International Airport that sparked national debate over travel etiquette. The crew also covers the Atlanta Hawks’ bold “Magic City Monday” promotion featuring famous lemon pepper wings and halftime performances by T.I.. Additionally, the segment dives into Gen Z’s “loud breakup” trend on TikTok and ends with a nostalgic defense of the Burger King Whopper.



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