Rayshard Brooks' killing 'is so personal to so many people of color,' Atlanta mayor says
"That could have been any one of us," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on NBC's "TODAY". "That could be any of our kids or brothers. In this case it was: It was someone's father."
Bottoms said that [the] officers' interaction with Brooks began as "almost a pleasant interaction. It didn't have to end this way. That's what's so frustrating. It leaves us asking so many questions. We do so many things in Atlanta we thought to get it right, and this went so terribly wrong."
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned from her position on Saturday night, less than 24 hours after the shooting, saying in a statement, "It is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."
Bottoms said today that she appreciated the former chief's work and dedication to the city, and that Shields, who remains on the police force, will have input on the department's "transformation." The Atlanta police department was already reviewing its policies, the mayor said, and the shooting of Brooks only intensifies the need for that.
L. Chris Stewart, an attorney for Brooks' family, said Brooks shouldn't have faced deadly force because he appeared to have a stun gun. "Of extreme concern in the murder of Rayshard Brooks is the fact that he was shot in the back multiple times while fleeing," Stewart and law partner Justin Miller ....
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“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,” Ms. Bottoms said. “I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force.”
Atlanta Police Chief Resigns After Officer Shoots and Kills a Black Man
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Stun Gun Laws in Georgia
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Police search for (white) ‘instigators’ who started Wendy’s fire after Rayshard Brooks shooting
Channel 2 Action News obtained new video of a (white) woman who police say is responsible for starting a fire that torched a Wendy’s restaurant, just hours after a deadly police shooting there.
The Atlanta Police Foundation says a lot of tips have come in to CrimeStoppers Atlanta after they posted a $10,000 reward for her arrest.
A Channel 2 viewer recorded the video on Saturday night. It clearly shows a white woman in shorts with a pony tail spraying something into the flames at the restaurant. She smiles and nods and walks away from the restaurant as flames spread.
Video on Twitter, linked in story
Atlanta police shared a second video of the same woman on their Twitter account and still photos of a second woman dressed in black with an aerosol can.
Police search for (white) ‘instigators’ who started Wendy’s fire after Rayshard Brooks shooting
Dave Wilkinson is the president of the Atlanta Police Foundation and a former secret service agent. He says its clear police are searching for a small number of people who came with different intentions than the peaceful protests.
“We’re talking about individuals that are literally throwing Molotov cocktails, the folks that are setting businesses on fire. It appears that their intention for being there is to destroy property, wreak havoc and create violence,” Wilkinson said. “There’s no question when you see that video of the suspects they certainly look different, they certainly dress differently.”
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Timeline: Here’s how protests unfolded Saturday night
Here’s how the protests happened in reverse order:
7:19 a.m. People have arrived at the Wendy’s to see what is left of it the morning after the fire. Channel 2′s Tony Thomas is live outside the fast-food restaurant.
Tony Thomas
@TonyThomasWSB
Wendy’s on University Avenue gutted after overnight fire set during protests. Building still smoldering as people come to look . @wsbtv
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12:19 PM - Jun 14, 2020
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2:23 a.m: Channel 2′s Matt Johnson and Audrey Washington report on police’s efforts to disperse the protesters.
Audrey Washington
@AudreyWSBTV
RIGHT NOW
Atlanta_Police demanding protesters back up and disperse.@wsbtv #RayshardBrooks Protest.
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7:29 AM - Jun 14, 2020 · Atlanta, GA
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Matt Johnson
@MattWSB
Police moving in on remaining protesters.
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7:23 AM - Jun 14, 2020
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1:58 a.m. Police have announced protesters must disperse and leave immediately. They are using a high frequency sound to drive off the few people left in the intersection. Channel 2 photographers showed at least two men being put into handcuffs as the crowd thinned out quickly.
1:53 a.m. Channel 2′s Matt Johnson reports that police are moving in to stop looters who are raiding a convenience store on University Avenue.
Channel 2's Matt Johnson was live on the scene as protesters smashed windows of a gas station in southwest Atlanta.
1:40 a.m. Protesters have started to break windows on a BP gas station in the same intersection as the Wendy’s that burned.
12:50 a.m.
Protesters are still on the streets but things have calmed down a bit.
WSB-TV
@wsbtv
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters still facing off with police in southwest Atlanta, though the group is relatively peaceful. WATCH LIVE:
WSB Now | Live streaming Atlanta Local News, Weather and Programs …
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5:49 AM - Jun 14, 2020
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12: 30 a.m.
New video released by Atlanta Police shows police talking with Brooks for 27 minutes before they try to handcuff him and the scuffle ensues. Both of the APD bodycams end up on the pavement before the shooting.
12:21 a.m.
Atlanta Police Spokesman Carlos Campos confirmed to ABC News early Sunday morning that the officer who shot Brooks has been fired. The officer has been identified as Garrett Rolfe. The other officer, Devin Bronsan, has been placed on administrative duty.
Rolfe has been with APD since 2013.
Michael Seiden
@SeidenWSBTV
APD has identified the two APD officers involved in the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks. (Left) Devin Bronsan has been placed on administrative leave. (Right) Garrett Rolfe has been fired after firing deadly shots. Bronsan joined the department in 2018; Rolfe joined in 2013
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5:41 AM - Jun 14, 2020
11:23 p.m.
Protesters are demanding the arrest of police.
Matt Johnson
@MattWSB
“Arrest the cops” being chanted by protesters right now near the Wendy’s where #RayshardBrooks died.
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4:22 AM - Jun 14, 2020
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11:05 p.m.
Firetrucks have arrived at the scene. Firefighters said it took over an hour to get to the scene because of protesters.
Atlanta Fire Rescue
@ATLFireRescue
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Joe Ested, a former law enforcement officer and founder of the nonprofit Police Brutality Matters, said an officer must see imminent danger either to himself or to someone else for deadly use of force to be justified.
"When we look at this, the video, you see the subject running away," he said. "There's no life at risk at that time — at all.
"Even a subject running away that has a weapon — unless the weapon the subject has results in death, you still are not able to authorize the use of deadly force."
Two experts say use of deadly force against Rayshard Brooks unwarranted