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Gun violence in Atlanta: Chief gives report card on targeting guns, gangs, and drugs

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Gun violence in Atlanta: Chief gives report card on targeting guns, gangs, and drugs


Getting guns and drugs out of the hands of criminals and gang members is a top priority for police, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told the Atlanta City Council’s Public Safety Committee.

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The chief briefed the committee on Tuesday on gun confiscation for 2023.

Converted handguns found on Atlanta streets

Handguns with a “trigger” or switch were recently demonstrated for Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

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The mayor noted that the handgun had been restyled to be fully automatic with rapid fire.

The device is illegal and Chief Schierbaum wants to make sure suspects who use it are properly charged.

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“We also worked last year to remove the triggers off the streets that make a weapon fully automatic. We know that this year the General Assembly will be considering legislation to make that a state offense because it is a federal offense only, we no longer have the ability to charge that here in Fulton County,” the chief said.

Chief Schierbaum boasts some aggressive results.

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‘Ghost guns’ trouble Atlanta’s police chief most

In 2023, 3197 firearms were removed off the streets, 477 of those weapons were stolen, 143 were rifles or shotguns and 33 of those were the troubling “ghost guns.”

“Meaning they were manufactured in a manner that cannot be tracked by law enforcement. So, it is hard to trace them back to certain crimes,” Chief Schierbaum explained.

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Atlanta police get ‘aggressive’ with gangs

The chief says gangs with guns continue to be a problem in Fulton County. Investigators from APD arrested 140 gang members last year on 600 separate gang charges.

“We have been aggressively fighting the gangs in Fulton County and the region because they do engage in human trafficking, drug dealing, gun running and robberies throughout the area,” Atlanta’s top cop said.

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Operation Deep Freeze takes guns of Atlanta streets

The chief says Operation Deep Freeze was also effective and lead to 87 arrests, 34 of which were gang members and 67 firearms, which remain here in the custody of APD forever.

“We worked with our partners at the state and federal levels and regionally to go into certain areas where individuals were possessing guns and many times, they were in open conflict with each other,” the veteran lawman replied.

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The chief says his department is not letting up and will continue to stamp out illegal weapons in our city.



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Atlanta, GA

Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Atlanta

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Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Atlanta


Atlanta Hawks (19-21, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (21-18, eighth in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Golden State will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Warriors face Atlanta.

The Warriors are 13-5 on their home court. Golden State is 9-12 against opponents over .500.

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The Hawks have gone 12-10 away from home. Atlanta ranks second in the league scoring 17.6 fast break points per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the Hawks averaging 3.9.

The Warriors average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.8 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Warriors allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jimmy Butler III is averaging 19.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is averaging 25.7 points and 5.1 assists over the past 10 games.

Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Hawks. Jalen Johnson is averaging 21.1 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 7-3, averaging 120.1 points, 42.5 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.0 points per game.

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Hawks: 4-6, averaging 116.9 points, 42.4 rebounds, 31.9 assists, 10.1 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Seth Curry: out (thigh).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Zaccharie Risacher: out (knee), CJ McCollum: out (quad), N’Faly Dante: out for season (knee), Corey Kispert: out (hamstring).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Flood watch expands into metro Atlanta ahead of severe storm threat

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Flood watch expands into metro Atlanta ahead of severe storm threat


A powerful weather front is moving into metro Atlanta, prompting officials to expand flood watches as “wave-after-wave” of heavy rain threatens to saturate the region through Saturday.

The FOX 5 Storm Team warn that storm totals could reach four inches in some areas, with isolated spots in North Georgia potentially seeing up to six inches.

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Flood Watch in northwest Georgia

What we know:

A Flood Watch is currently in effect through Saturday evening for a large portion of North Georgia. The region is bracing for widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches. Some areas could see locally higher amounts reaching up to 6 inches before a cold front moves through Saturday afternoon to end the threat.

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“The rain train is wide open and here it comes,” said FOX 5 Storm Team chief meteorologist David Chandley. “We got waves of rain tonight and storms. They’re going to be with us tonight and right on through Saturday.”

In the northwest, the watch includes Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield counties.

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KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST BY DOWNLOADING THE FREE FOX 5 STORM TEAM APP AND FOLLOWING @FOX5STORMTEAM ON X

Flooding risk, high winds

Local perspective:

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Thunderstorms expected overnight and into early Saturday morning are a primary concern. 

The primary concern for North Georgia remains damaging winds and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding. While the threat of severe weather is lower Friday night, the FOX 5 Storm Team expects conditions to change as the front arrives Saturday morning.

“Flooding [is] possible in Northwest Georgia with that severe threat,” Chandley said. “I expect we may see some of those [flash flood warnings] across North Georgia late tonight and early tomorrow because that ground is going to be saturated.”

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A Level 1 “marginal risk” for severe storms has been issued for most of the area, though regions near Columbus face a slightly higher “slight risk.” Forecasters noted that while the atmosphere currently lacks the instability for massive thunderstorms, a “brief, spin-up tornado” cannot be ruled out on Saturday.

What’s next:

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Sunday: Windy and much colder, with highs struggling to reach the 40s and 50s.

Monday: Temperatures are expected to plummet into the 20s by Monday morning.

The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team.

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Serious crashes block Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, Lawrenceville Highway early Friday

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Serious crashes block Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, Lawrenceville Highway early Friday


A major crash involving eight vehicles shut down all southbound lanes of the Downtown Connector early Friday morning, causing significant traffic delays near University Avenue.

What we know:

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The crash was reported on Interstate 75/Interstate 85 just before University Avenue, with injuries confirmed at the scene. Traffic was being diverted off the connector at Interstate 20, Exit 247, while the entrance ramp from I-20 to the connector southbound was also closed. Drivers were advised to use Exit 56A to McDaniel Street or alternate routes including Metropolitan Parkway or Interstate 285. The scene was cleared and lanes began reopening around 6:30 a.m. FOX 5 Atlanta is waiting for a final report on what happened. 

A separate serious injury crash was also reported in DeKalb County on Lawrenceville Highway westbound between Montreal Road and Interstate 285. All lanes were blocked, and authorities said the incident involved a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Both investigations were ongoing. The scene was cleared and lanes reopened around 6:45 a.m., according to Georgia Department of Transportation. 

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