Ongoing Atlanta Police Investigation After Wounded Man Discovered Behind a House

Atlanta Police Department is focused on figuring out how a man ended up on the ground with gunshot wounds in the backyard of a SW Fulton County house this morning. 

Police came on the scene in the early hours of the morning after getting calls and reports of a shooting in the area. The man had gunshots wounds to his thighs and buttocks. He was alert when the police arrive on the scene, but he was unwilling to cooperate with the police. 

The biggest detail discovered was that there was a trail of blood discovered from the window of the home, but no one was inside the house. 

As an Atlanta Criminal Defense Attorney, I will focus on the possible criminal offense that occurred to lead up to the discovery of this wounded man. 

Aggravated Battery in Georgia

Aggravated battery occurs in the following situations:

• Shooting someone with a gun 
• Striking someone with a weapon 
• Hitting someone with a dangerous object

This is why the offense of aggravated battery in Georgia is most likely what occurred here. The Georgia Code defines aggravated battery as:

A person commits the offense of aggravated battery when he or she maliciously causes bodily harm to another by depriving him or her of a member of his or her body, by rendering a member of his or her body useless, or by seriously disfiguring his or her body or a member thereof. O.C.G.A. §16-5-24.

If convicted of aggravated battery in Georgia, the offense can be classified as a misdemeanor or a felony. To determine the punishment, judges could consider evidence about the circumstances when the crime occurred, the extent of the injuries received, whether there was a relationship between the victim and suspect, and if the suspect had a criminal record.

Practice Note

Anyone convicted of battery or even assault in Georgia may be subject to even another consequence. This can include restitution to the victim. Restitution means a reimbursement to the victim for any expenses that resulted from the crime. 

If you have been accused or arrested for a crime within the city of Atlanta, contact a Atlanta Criminal Defense Lawyer today.