CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Survivors of last weekend’s tornado outbreak have been left scrambling after they said they were given 24 hours to clear their apartment in Clarksville. If they didn’t follow that order, management said they’d “discard” everything inside.
“Basically, your stuff has to be out by tomorrow,” Latoya Outlaw described of an email she received on Tuesday, Dec. 12 from GVA management.
The email came three days after Outlaw said she was hovering over her son in a bathtub: “I was just hoping that we didn’t die on Saturday.”
Another resident of Bluegrass Meadows shared the email they received late Tuesday afternoon, giving them 24 hours to get all of their belongings out. According to the email, anything left the morning of Thursday, Dec. 14 would be discarded.
“Now is the time to treat people with empathy, respect. I mean, some people have nothing,” Outlaw said.
Many of the residents said they simply don’t have the means. Some lost their vehicles in the tornadoes, U-Haul’s and storage space are difficult to come by, and then there’s the financial burden.
“It’s unfortunate, and they should understand that, but I don’t think they really understand because it’s not affecting them,” Jerome Hardy explained while gathering his belongings.
Thursday morning, residents were left in disbelief as they captured video of three men — one of whom identified himself as management — trying to kick in a door at the complex.
“It’s not right, it’s not. He told me I was trespassing, I was no longer a tenant here,” said Outlaw.
She said the Clarksville Police Department responded, calling it a civil matter.
Hours later, during News 2’s interview, that same man arrived in a pickup, stopping inches from our crew.
“This was unnecessary right here,” News 2 reporter Stephanie Langston told the man, who said, “I just want to make sure that you got my truck, so please leave.”
“Well we definitely got your truck, you almost hit my photographer,” Langston replied.
The man claimed he was on the phone with the complex owner, saying they didn’t want to share their side of the story. He asked News 2 to leave the property. However, police soon confirmed our crew was on a public street.
