Family of man who died at Atlanta homeless encampment sues the city

Rev. Timothy McDonald speaks alongside Housing Justice League and the family of Cornelius Taylor in a press conference calling for the city to stop encampment clearings. (Stephannie Stokes/WABE)

This story was updated on Friday, July 18, 2025, at 6:15 p.m.

The family of a homeless man who died after a bulldozer crushed his tent during an encampment sweep sued the city of Atlanta on Friday over his death, calling it “tragic and preventable.”

The lawsuit filed by Cornelius Taylor’s sister and son alleges that city employees failed to look to see if there was anyone inside the tents in the encampment before using a bulldozer to clear it. Taylor, 46, was inside one of the tents and was crushed by the truck when his tent was flattened, the lawsuit says.