On August 22nd, a horrific shooting in Atlanta, GA took the life of a community manager and injured the building engineer at 1280 West Condominium. Mulcahy Law Firm, P.C. offers its most sincere condolences to the colleagues and family of community manager, Michael Shinners, and we wish the building’s engineer a full recovery.
Although law enforcement has not yet revealed the murder suspect’s motive, it has been confirmed by officials that the suspect was a resident of the condominium building where the shooting occurred. News outlets have reported that the suspect recently posted disparaging remarks regarding the Condominium’s management company on social media. Furthermore, police have stated the victims of this heinous act were targeted – this was “not a random” act.
As details emerge, community managers, the staff of management companies and board members may feel a sense of severe unease and heightened concerns. Know that you are not alone.
In this post-pandemic era, mental illness is rampant – and, disgruntled homeowners seem to be more prevalent than ever. It can be difficult to know and understand the type of person that you’re dealing with. As such, it is important to handle these sensitive matters with extreme care. If at any time one feels that a person may resort to physical harm or violence, police should be contacted immediately. Do not hesitate to dial 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.
We urge management companies and associations with on-site offices to closely review their security and safety protocols for entry to building(s) and/or office(s). If a contentious board meeting is being held and/or a disgruntled owner is expected to attend, don’t think twice about hiring an off-duty police officer or bringing in security. Another option to avoid risks associated with an in-person meeting is to move the meeting to a virtual platform such as Zoom.
Are you being harassed by a homeowner and/or resident? In Arizona, A.R.S. Section 12- 1809 – “harassment” means a series of acts over any period of time that is directed at a specific person and that would cause a reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed or harassed and the conduct in fact seriously alarms, annoys or harasses the person and serves no legitimate purpose. Our firm’s Cheat Sheet entitled, Dealing with Difficult People & Harassment provides steps for responding to harassment and measures that can be taken to protect all involved.
In closing, I often mention that managers and volunteer board members have a “thankless job”, please know that my team and I recognize and appreciate you today and every day. Please reach out to me with questions and/or concerns that you may have. Mulcahy Law Firm, P.C. is here for you.
