A man who had passed out in his car in a Wendy’s drive-through was shot and killed by police after they tried to arrest him for DUI.
Video from a witness shows two cops wresting with Rayshard Brooks with one cop trying to taser him. However, Brooks grabs the taser from the cop, sending the cops into panic mode as they try to pry the taser from his hand.
Brooks manages to break free and runs away, still holding the taser with a cop chasing after him, shooting him with his own taser.
A surveillance video released by the city shows Brooks running away, then turning and shooting the taser at the cop as he is running. It is not clear if the tasers hit the cop.
The cop pulls out his gun and shoots Brooks as he continues running. He may have even shot him in the back but it’s hard to tell in the video.
The witness and surveillance video is posted above along with an expanded clip of the shooting slowed down significantly to better analyze the shooting.
But can a cop claim he was in fear for his life even if he did get shot with what they describe as a “non-lethal” weapon?
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms doesn’t believe so which is why she is calling for the firing of the cop who fired the shot. And Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields has resigned after pressure from the mayor.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“Chief Erika Shields has been a solid member of APD for over two decades and has a deep and abiding love for the people of Atlanta. And because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city move forward with urgency in rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our community,” Bottoms said.
Former assistant police Chief Rodney Bryant will serve as the interim chief. Bottoms said Shields “will continue in a role, to be determined.”
Bottoms also called for the termination of the police officer who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks on Friday. Brooks took a Taser from an arresting officer. As Brooks ran away, Bottoms said he turned over his shoulder and appeared to fire the Taser at one of the officers. The officer shot Brooks.
“While there may be debate as to whether this was an appropriate use of deadly force, I firmly believe that there is a clear distinction between what you can do and what you should do. I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force and have called for the immediate termination of the officer,” Bottoms said, at a Saturday afternoon news conference.
The shooting has sparked more protests at a time when people have been protesting the death of George Floyd going on its third week now.
Last week, six Atlanta police officers were arrested for the beating and tasering of two college students who had annoyed them by recording them arresting their friend.
