Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency Monday after five people in Atlanta were shot and killed over the July Fourth weekend, including an 8-year-old girl.
Gov. Brian Kemp also authorized the activation of up to 1,000 National Guard members. He said those troops will provide support at locations like the Governor's Mansion and the state Capitol building, in order to get more law enforcement officers out patrolling in communities.
In a statement, Kemp said: "Peaceful protests were hijacked by criminals with a dangerous, destructive agenda. Now, innocent Georgians are being targeted, shot, and left for dead. This lawlessness must be stopped and order restored in our capital city."
Kemp's office told CNN that recent crime statistics also played a part in the governor's emergency declaration.
That data shows at least 93 people in Atlanta were shot between May 31 and June 27, compared with 49 during the same time period in 2019. The number of people killed during those weeks also more than doubled, from six to 14, year over year.
Contains footage from CNN.
