An Atlanta man who started a nonprofit to distribute food to families in need in the city's Lakewood neighborhood told Newsmax on Monday that that organization was targeted by squatters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Morris, who began the Lakewood Environmental Arts Foundation 10 years ago, said on "Wake Up America" that support and help from the community was "amazing," but wasn't adequate when squatters descended on the nine-acre plot for the distribution center near the Atlanta BeltLine.
"We had upwards of 20 people camping on the land during COVID," he said. "Right now, we have eight people camping on the land."
Morris credited Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens for "a good job supporting affordable housing and homeless shelters" and addressing the invasion.
"We spent over $10,000 on dumpsters over the past month cleaning up the place," Morris said. "And during the cleanup period, we had shots fired. One of the homeless people came out with a gun and start shooting in the air. And then they turned the gun onto their car and shot bullet holes in the car. There's a police report. The person ran. ... He won't be back."
Morris' lawyer, David Perry, said he's concerned "they're just going to move right back in" despite a fence being put up in front of the property.
"We have asked for police surveillance to make sure that they don't come back. But I suspect they will," Morris said.
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