SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — A South Fulton couple says they were wrongly arrested after police cited them for disorderly conduct following a birthday party that neighbors described as excessively loud.
The arrests come as South Fulton police say they are taking a tougher stance on unauthorized large gatherings and repeat noise violations.
Neighbors in the subdivision told Channel 2’s Ashli Lincoln they have complained for months about parties at the home, saying loud music often continued into the early morning hours.
“I don’t want to hear that at 2 o’clock in the morning,” neighbor Arnese Foster said.
Foster told Lincoln the gatherings have disrupted the neighborhood.
“It’s insane. I get up at 4 o’clock in the morning for work. I’m not trying to hear a concert over there,” Foster said.
Neighbors also complained about guests parking at a nearby church and leaving trash behind.
“It’s trashed out. They’re smoking weed on the church parking lot. They’re dressed in stripper gear out here on the church parking lot,” neighbor Dexter Tillis said.
Channel 2 cameras observed the homeowner who organized the party cleaning up trash at the church Monday.
The homeowners, who invited Channel 2 into their home, said they were hosting a two-day birthday celebration for a family member. They disputed claims that the gathering was disruptive and said no one directly complained to them about the noise.
“Even when they came on Saturday, nobody ever said, ‘Turn the music down.’ They were just worried about the cars on the street,” homeowner Jovon Braddy said.
Video obtained by Channel 2 shows South Fulton police arresting the couple Sunday as partygoers left the property. Police charged both homeowners with disorderly conduct after responding to noise complaints from neighbors.
Interim Managing Director of Public Safety Dr. Cedric Alexander defended the department’s enforcement efforts.
“Nobody wants to be up all night with loud music playing at two or three o’clock in the morning,” Alexander said.
Police said residents who plan to host large events can obtain a special-event permit, which requires notifying surrounding neighbors. Officials said the permit process helps address traffic, parking and noise concerns before events occur.
Alexander said the city has successfully prevented several large, advertised parties from taking place and warned that repeat violations could result in arrests.
“And in some cases, you can end up getting arrested if this is repeated over some period of time,” he said.
The couple said they did not advertise their party and believe the arrests were unwarranted. They are considering legal action against the department.
“I should be able to have a party without being harassed. At the same time, I understand if the music is too loud,” one homeowner said.
South Fulton police are encouraging homeowners associations to educate residents about the city’s special-event permit requirements for large gatherings. Authorities say homeowners are permitted to host parties but must comply with local ordinances governing noise, parking and event permits.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
- Fulton County targets data centers with $5 billion tax assessment
- Fake gun, real danger: Road rage shooting nearly ends with metro Atlanta father’s death
- Arrests made for ID fraud after home searched for 4 days
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
