Behind the Investigation with Atlanta News First

More than a year after a Fulton County Sheriff’s deputy was shot downtown, the Atlanta Police Department closed the case without charging the man who admitted to pulling the trigger. Surveillance video obtained by Atlanta News First Investigates — video APD refused to release publicly — shows the deputy did not identify himself as a law enforcement officer before the shooting. Only after the gunfire did Deputy Evens Lafond say, “I’m the police! Police!!!”

Controversy continues to grow over the use of Flock cameras nationwide. Atlanta News First Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe takes you behind his investigation.

 As students return to class, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlanta field office is urging parents to examine what their children are sharing online and what that information may reveal to strangers.

The VA doesn’t track Agent Orange claims outside designated zones. Our investigation found more than 500.

Hundreds of Georgia families who rely on Medicaid to cover speech, occupational and physical therapy for their children are watching a policy change ripple through an already-stressed system—and some fear it could mean fewer appointments, longer drives, and longer waitlists.

Records show multiple complaints, code cases and state investigations linked to nine addresses over more than a decade.

Several new Georgia laws took effect July 1, 2026, targeting school literacy, contractor licensing, HOA oversight, elder financial exploitation, school zone speed cameras and signal jammers. Atlanta News First Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe and award-winning investigative reporter Anastassia Olmos discuss what the new laws mean to you.

Homeowners in Georgia and across the country say hidden plumbing pipes are failing just years after new homes were built, triggering repeated leaks, major water damage, and repairs that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. This episode looks at why the same pipe brand keeps surfacing in complaints and lawsuits, what the manufacturer says in response, and what homeowners can do to document damage and protect themselves as the legal fight plays out.        

Flock Safety’s license plate reader cameras help police solve serious crimes by creating a searchable, time-stamped database of vehicle movement—but that same power can be misused to track innocent people. The episode highlights cases involving wrongful suspicion, alleged officer misuse, and disputes over transparency around audit logs, as the technology expands beyond stationary cameras into drones and person-tracking systems. The central question: how communities ensure oversight of the people using—and accessing—this surveillance data.

With the FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. and Atlanta among 16 host cities, consumer advocates say the hype is also creating new opportunities for scammers. The Better Business Bureau of Greater Atlanta is warning people to be skeptical of viral social media posts advertising “free” World Cup tickets or giveaways. “They don’t have to have people out there giving away free tickets in order to sell out the stadiums,” said Josh Hares, executive vice president of the BBB of Greater Atlanta, in a Behind the Investigation podcast interview with investigative reporter Anastassia Olmos.

Georgia’s new HOA law (SB 406) is set to bring more transparency and a clearer path for homeowner complaints. Investigative reporter Anastasia Olmos talks with Georgia Realtors’ Jeff Ledford about what HOAs must do to register, what records homeowners can access, and how the Secretary of State’s referee process could work.

A grieving husband almost lost his house after a disability payment error caused a mortgage trial payment to bounce, kicking him out of a loan program that he entered while trying to take care of his wife through her cancer battle. Investigative Reporter Anastassia Olmos talks with Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe about his story.

An elderly Georgia couple lost a phone number they’d had for more than 50 years when they switched phone providers, leaving them without a way to contact family or emergency services. Until Harry Samler of Better Call Harry got involved. He discusses his report with Atlanta News First Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe.

A metro Atlanta man said he heard a radio ad for Priority Men’s Medical Center in Dunwoody that promised a free consultation and first treatment. Turns out, it wasn't so free. Harry Samler of Better Call Harry talks with Atlanta News First Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe about his report.

You get into bed, turn off the lights, and just as you drift off to sleep ... beep, beep, beep. It sounds like a low-battery smoke alarm. That’s what one metro Atlanta apartment resident said she endured for months, while she said the complex ignored her repeated maintenance requests. Harry Samler of Better Call Harry talks with Atlanta News First Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe about his report.

A metro Atlanta mother checked into the hospital for a hysterectomy, expecting to be home from that same day. Instead, she didn’t leave for nearly three months. Investigative Reporter Ciara Cummings takes you behind her investigation.

Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson was reindicted late Tuesday afternoon by a local grand jury on charges stemming from his physical confrontation with another police officer that was originally reported by Atlanta News First Investigates. Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe talks with Investigative Reporter Anastassia Olmos updates the case.

An Atlanta News First investigation breaks down the reporting behind Temple’s water crisis: a building moratorium, a damaging infrastructure report and industrial development plans near neighborhoods.

We examine allegations of misconduct, questions about internal oversight, and why a small city police department is facing outsized scrutiny.

The DeKalb County School District paid more than $34,000 in taxpayer funds for former Superintendent Devon Horton – now under federal indictments - to attend conferences, seminars, and meetings across the country during his two-year tenure. 

More than a dozen Georgia homeowners are accusing D.R. Horton, one of the nation’s largest home builders, of selling them houses with defective plumbing that has repeatedly failed and caused water damage, according to a pending arbitration complaint reviewed by Atlanta News First Investigates.

Clayton County police detectives are investigating a woman for allegedly impersonating a state housing employee.

Anastassia Olmos, investigative reporter with Atlanta News First, talks with the IRS about what pyramid and Ponzi schemes are all about, and how to avoid them.

Atlanta News First investigative reporter Anastassia Olmos talks with the IRS about what to watch out for in some of today's common healthcare scams.

Anastassia Olmos, investigative reporter with Atlanta News First, talks with the IRS about what you need to know about the day after April 15.

The most comprehensive homeowners association oversight bill in Georgia history is on its way to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, and lawmakers credit Atlanta News First Investigates’ series, HOA Nightmares, for uncovering the lack of oversight for HOAs across the state.  But at the same time, controversies over HOAs remain, especially in this one community where a $5.1 million water bill remains unpaid, along with a $24,000 trash bill.

A Griffin, Georgia, police officer was arrested on Christmas Eve after being pulled over by another law enforcement agency while driving his patrol car home, according to body camera video and arrest warrants obtained by Atlanta News First Investigates.

An Atlanta actress is asking to be removed from an upcoming film after claiming the production company filmed her nude without her permission, allegedly violating her contract that specified only implied nudity.

Across the country, fire departments are waiting years for new trucks. The trucks they already have are breaking down with no replacement parts available. Communities are losing fire protection entirely, and the price of a single fire engine has risen 64% in four years. The shortage is real. It is national. And it is getting worse.

Disabled passengers say transportation lifeline is broken while data shows success.

A metro Atlanta renter says her apartment has rats eating the floorboards, sewage spewing fecal matter in the backyard, and no heat as winter continues in Georgia.

As myopia rates surge in children, Georgia lawmakers are pushing a vision screening bill.

Lawmakers may soon pass a second consecutive bill tackling the state’s low literacy rates. Full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026...

A metro Atlanta single mother said background check errors cost her a six-figure job and now she’s at risk of losing her home. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/02/05/single-mom-loses-six-figure-job-after-alleged-background-check-errors/

A new study reveals Georgia is among the states hit hard by pediatric hospital care decline. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/01/15/nearly-40-georgia-counties-now-have-no-pediatrician/

One in four adults in the U.S. are caregiving for a loved one, according to data from the National Alliance for Caregiving. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/01/15/federal-budget-cuts-threaten-dementia-research-georgia-families-struggle-with-care-costs/

A metro Atlanta woman paid thousands of dollars to a debt relief company, only to discover most of her money went toward fees rather than paying down her debt. The woman, who asked not to be identified by name, paid $7,700 to Chicago-based Turnbull Law Group over several months. Of that amount, the firm collected around $6,600 as fees, according to invoices reviewed by Atlanta News First Investigates. Harry Samler, better known as Better Call Harry, talks about his investigation with fellow investigative reporter Ciara Cummings. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/30/metro-atlanta-woman-pays-thousands-debt-relief-law-firm/

An Atlanta News First investigation into HOA practices led to an outpouring of community support for a metro Atlanta woman whose homeowners association garnished her bank account while she was undergoing cancer treatment. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/23/cancer-patient-receives-help-after-hoa-drains-bank-account/

A metro Atlanta renter recently found out her heater has been blowing fecal matter into her home, after battling with her landlord over a sewage back-up for more than a year. “We shouldn’t be living like this,” Tiarra Logan said.  Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/12/metro-atlanta-renter-discovers-heater-blowing-fecal-matter-into-home/

AT&T has leveled six sunken manhole covers on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard in southwest Atlanta and reimbursed a bicyclist for damages following an Atlanta News First investigation, but similar hazards remain on newly paved city streets.

Atlanta News First Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe takes you behind his investigation into a shocking case of alleged burglary and stalking on the campus of the University of Georgia. Watch and read his full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/02/05/uga-students-living-fear-after-maintenance-worker-arrested-burglary-stalking/

“Be governed accordingly!” is the haunting message Marietta homeowner Danielle Reyes received from the lawyer representing her community’s homeowner’s association.

A federal wrongful death lawsuit filed against DeKalb County jail personnel, the county’s former medical provider, and others allege an inmate died from hypothermia after jail staff repeatedly ignored his pleas for help.

Senior citizens thought they were buying their forever homes in a retirement community in Conyers, but now claim the builder broke promises and refused to let them take control of their HOA. 

 Three family members who tested positive for drugs in a Georgia child custody case allege the state’s drug screening process produced false results, and they have independent tests to prove their claims.

A Kennesaw homeowner discovered someone filed a fraudulent insurance claim for fire damage on her renovated home, sparking a months-long battle to clear her record and avoid higher premiums. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/04/is-there-fire-false-insurance-claim-sparks-battle-clear-homeowners-record/

Georgia education officials are studying Mississippi’s dramatic literacy transformation as 70 percent of the Peach State’s 4th graders cannot read proficiently, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/22/georgia-looks-mississippi-help-children-learn-read-yes-mississippi/

A metro Atlanta police officer resigned from the department after he arrested a wheelchair-bound man on accusations he kicked in someone else's door.

Award-winning consumer reporter Harry Samler talks with FBI Special Agent Dan Polk on how scammers are using AI to create fake ads that mimic popular brands and retailers.

'Stolen Sobriety’ shows how drug-free parents are failing drug screens in Georgia. The project began when a mom reached out to Atlanta News First Investigates, saying she'd been wrongfully accused of being on drugs while trying to gain custody of her children. Our investigation uncovered the two labs contracted to perform the drug screens on behalf of Georgia's child welfare system have their own credibility issues. Watch and listen to our full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/investigate/stolen-sobriety/