Another Police department came under spotlight after the Minneapolis’s, since the widespread unrest over the death of George Floyd. This time in Atlanta, where a police officer shot an African-American man outside a fast-food restaurant.
The authorities informed the local media that the deceased, Rayshard Brooks, 27, was running from the police on Friday night, after failing a sobriety test and grabbing a Taser from the police officer.
The surveillance video released showed Brooks firing the taser towards the officer who was chasing him, in retaliation to which the officer fired his weapon at Brooks. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but died after surgery, The New York Times reported.
According to the media report, Brooks had been asleep in his car at a Wendy’s fast food restaurant drive-through late Friday, and employees called police to complain he was blocking other customers. He later failed the sobriety test and tried to flee, resisting the arrest.
Atlanta’s Police Chief Erika Shields resigned after the incident. During the press conference, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms offered condolences to Brooks’ family, and announced the Chief’s resignation as a willing step towards making the city police department ‘a model for reform’ and rebuilding trust among all the communities.
‘While there may be debate whether this was an appropriate use of deadly force, I firmly believe 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.
The Mayor also called for the immediate termination of the officer who shot Brooks and informed that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is inquiring further details of the incident.
His death drew huge outcry and condemnation among people of Atlanta. People staged a protest, blocked an interstate highway and set alight the Wendy’s where 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was shot.
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