ATL Standard

Calls for the area of Buckhead to split from the city of Atlanta are growing after the brutal killing of a 77-year-old grandmother, a recent report from FOX 5 Atlanta said.

While the separation movement has been sparked anew by rising violent crime in Buckhead, staffers from Mayor Andre Dickens' office steadfastly argue that creating a separate government just for the mostly affluent neighborhood will not automatically shield it from crime.

"It is the mayor's number one priority to stop the Buckhead city movement,"  Kenyatta Mitchell told FOX 5 Atlanta. "He (Dickens) believes Atlanta should be whole."

Bill White is one of the leaders of the separation movement, contending that once Buckhead neighbors have control of their tax base, many more police officers could be hired.

In recent times, requests for yard signs with the Buckhead name on them have spiked, with some arguing that is a clear indication of the level of support for their movement, FOX 5 reported. Over a 48-hour period, White said he had 900 sign requests.

The Dickens administration has long maintained that it is doing all it can to curb violence across the city and to keep Buckhead part of the community.