GA - Rayshard Brooks, 27, fatally shot in Wendy’s car park, Atlanta, 12 Jun 2020 *officer charged*

[shotgun09]

This sad shooting did not have to happen. But, IMO this is also not the case to hang your hat on police reform.

 

[Keefer]

I am sure we will.

Rayshard Brooks went to extreme measures to not get arrested including assault and battery on a police officer and attempting to taser a police officer. Maybe there was an outstanding warrant out for him already. Will we ever hear if there was ?

I am sure we will find out many more things about this case. I would hope that people would take the time to look at both sides.

This sad shooting did not have to happen. But, IMO this is also not the case to hang your hat on police reform.

I think it is just one of many and this case might be a factor. I grew up next door to a sgt in our local police, my pops was in a volunteer mounted posse and my grandpa was a game warden. I’ve had ex cons and cops as friends. Everyone can change.

 

[IceIce9]

Rayshard Brooks went to extreme measures to not get arrested including assault and battery on a police officer and attempting to taser a police officer. Maybe there was an outstanding warrant out for him already. Will we ever hear if there was ?

Probably won’t hear about it because it doesn’t fit the agenda.

A recent police shooting in my city was ruled justifiable, because the officer’s life was threatened. The criminal who was shot and killed had 11 prior felonies. Who the heck has 11 felonies?? Yet the media downplayed that fact.

 

[Willow Knight]

Here's more body cam footage. The cops, as well as Brooks, were pretty cool until Brooks freaked out when the cops were attempting to handcuff him.

I am so sad for that officer. He was not being a bully, he was very respectful, doing his job protecting the community. He was concerned about Mr Brooks. Nothing suggests the officer wanted to be put in that situation, the officer showed great respect (both officers). This is so sad.

 

[katydid23]

IMO there are some rogue officers out there and I do think black people are treated differently than white people by officers. However, resisting orders from an officer is a sure way to get into deep trouble. I can't imagine when i have been pulled over in my car and the officer asks for my license and registration, saying no-- i am polite and in fact i always tell the officer that i have to get my registration in the glove box and is that ok- so he doesn't think i am going for a gun.

Both of these officers were being very polite and calm in the time leading up to the suspect escalating the incident. Up until the moment he failed the sobriety test, and suddenly began too fight them, both officers had been fair and nice to him.

If they charge this officer with murder, we can expect a strike by Law Enforcement, in my opinion. Or more mass resignations.

 

[katydid23]

Atlanta officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks has been terminated

There are two videos of the incident, including surveillance video from Wendy's. The other video was provided by a witness who requested anonymity due to privacy concerns.

The video from the eyewitness begins in the middle of the struggle between Brooks and two police officers. In the video, an officer is heard telling Brooks to "stop fighting" and "hands off the taser."

"The fight started when they tried to make an arrest ... after that he took a taser and took off," the witness said.

As the scuffle broke up, the video shows Brooks beginning to run from the officers and he is seen holding what appears to be a stun gun in his right hand. It appears one of the officers fires their stun gun at Brooks three times as he runs away.

Shortly after Brooks and one of the officers run by the car of the eyewitness taking the video, a second officer runs by, following Brooks.

Three shots are then heard out of frame.

The Wendy's surveillance video doesn't show the scuffle, but shows Brooks running away from where police cars are parked. In that video, Brooks appears to point the stun gun at the Atlanta officer.

"At that point the Atlanta officer reaches down and retrieves his weapon from his holster, discharges it, strikes Mr. Brooks there on the parking lot and he goes down," the GBI director said in a press conference on Saturday.

The eyewitness is heard saying in additional video obtained by CNN that Brooks was still breathing as he lay on the ground.

The fleeing suspect turned towards the officer and shot the taser at him. That is when the officers opened fire at him. I believe it was a justified shooting. JMO

 

[Tippy Lynn]

So the officer drew his gun after Mr. Brooks pointed and may have fired the tazer at the officer and turned away. If this is so the officer knew it was a taser. But, he would also know he was not in imminent threat of deadly force. Again, you cannot use deadly force based on what you think someone might do next, besides Mr. Brooks is clearly running away and not a threat at least accrding to this account.

Should the officers wait to see if they are going to get tased and potentially disarmed first? I’m having a hard time understanding your thought process.

 

[Keefer]

Yes, it is sad. A lot of it has to do in the way officers are trained in deadly force. As Shakespeare said, “ones greatest strength begets ones greatest weakness.” Famous cases where police officers were killed are used as training aids to refine how officers deal with deadly threats. Unfortunately, they also instill fear and Can cause them to make the wrong decision like I think this officer might have done here. Police need to be held to the same standard in the use of deadly force as any citizen. It may not sound fair to you but it is just.

 

[katydid23]

Well, I would not go quite that far. One thing that many people want to see changed is the amount of discretion cops have in deploying lethal force. Most developed countries do not allow anywhere near this amount of leeway.
These days all uniformed officers carry their sidearm in a holster that has various levels of retention. That is to say that for all intents and purposes said handgun is locked in its holster until the officer “decides” to unlock it and draw his weapon.
I am much more interested in knowing why the officer drew his handgun while chasing someone who was running away holding a non lethal weapon.

The police are responsible for the safety of the surrounding community. The suspect violently assaulted the officers, punching at them, wrestling with them, stealing the taser, and running towards the community at large.

He has failed a sobriety test so they know he was erratic, as well as volatile. Now he has a stun gun and they checked his license, and knew of his extensive criminal record.

What do you think would have happened if the drunk felon ran off into the night with the high powered taser, and used it on an innocent passerby? Or broke into a home?

I imagine those cops would be blamed and fired.

But now, we have people saying that violent drunk criminals, who attack officers, steal their weapons and run off----these criminals should be allowed to run into the community, no problem.

Let them react that way to a lawful arrest, no use defending against them assaulting police and stealing weapons...

 

[Tippy Lynn]

Yes, it is sad. A lot of it has to do in the way officers are trained in deadly force. As Shakespeare said, “ones greatest strength begets ones greatest weakness.” Famous cases where police officers were killed are used as training aids to refine how officers deal with deadly threats. Unfortunately, they also instill fear and Can cause them to make the wrong decision like I think this officer might have done here. Police need to be held to the same standard in the use of deadly force as any citizen. It may not sound fair to you but it is just.

Here’s an idea......don’t commit crimes and if you do follow police orders. It really is that simple.

 

[Willow Knight]

Does he at anytime appear to try to harm either officer excepting of course when he points the tazer at one while running away. This could speak to his state of mind, in a courtroom of course, not necessarily here...

Yes Mr Brooks was fighting with both officers prior to his running, he appeared very strong and was able to handle two police officers in order to break free. Mr Brooks appear to me to be very determined to get away. When Mr Brooks turned around to taze the officer he was focused and wanted to harm the officer, at least to me that is what I see in the video. It also appeared to me that the officer was hit because he fell onto the red car that was parked. So, I believe the shooting officer saw and assumed that same thing as I did. To me, he acted with a reasonable mind.

I would have reacted in the same manner.
And I declare myself a reasonable mind. *smile*

 

[Trident]

Here’s an idea......don’t commit crimes and if you do, follow police orders. It really is that simple.

Yes, it is that simple, but it appears a certain segment of our population cannot or will not obey orders from the police. Until that certain group changes and takes responsibility for themselves, nothing will change.

The police are not responsible for the bad choices Brooks made. IMO

 

[Simply Southern]

She is still employed in another role though.
Has the prosecutor indicated any charges pending?

Nope. Silence from the prosecutor.

 

[katydid23]

Yes, it is sad. A lot of it has to do in the way officers are trained in deadly force. As Shakespeare said, “ones greatest strength begets ones greatest weakness.” Famous cases where police officers were killed are used as training aids to refine how officers deal with deadly threats. Unfortunately, they also instill fear and Can cause them to make the wrong decision like I think this officer might have done here. Police need to be held to the same standard in the use of deadly force as any citizen. It may not sound fair to you but it is just.

No, it is not 'just.' Not at all. IMO

Police are not 'just any citizens.' They are responsible for keeping order and for FIGHTING the criminals who are actively committing crimes.

We pay our police force to stand up and fight when necessary. Who do you call when someone breaks in your house in the middle of the night:?

Do you expect 'any citizen' to come sirens blazing at 3 am to try and save your family?

The only reason an officer will chase a fleeing felon into a field at night is that they do have the legal right to use lethal force if met with a knife or a suspect trying to grab their weapon in a scuffle.

They have that legal right because we are paying them to do these kinds of dangerous assignments. We cannot expect an officer, who is on the streets 4o hours a week, often engaging in violent encounters, to have the same restrictions a regular citizen does. That makes no sense.

ALL of the criminals want to target people with badges because they have the rights and the authority to arrest them and to investigate them. That puts officers in danger and an elevated danger because it is constant. And often they are blindsided.

We cannot expect a person to take on a job where they are automatically targeted by violent criminals, but not given any legal rights to defend themselves while doing their job, of engaging with and apprehending the suspects. They are not regular citizens so they shouldn't have the same legal standing as regular citizens. JMO

 

[mister happy]

I am so sad for that officer. He was not being a bully, he was very respectful, doing his job protecting the community. He was concerned about Mr Brooks. Nothing suggests the officer wanted to be put in that situation, the officer showed great respect (both officers). This is so sad.

Yes! Both officers didn't have hard-nosed attitudes at all. They were very pleasant, and at times almost jovial.

 

[IceIce9]

I am a white female. Several years ago I was looking at a piece of property in the country with a real estate agent. It was 7 wooded acres, down a long lane.

A police officer came cruising up the drive, the agent waved at him, the officer parked and told us to put our hands up, then lie on the ground with our arms outstretched. We stayed on the ground while he radioed for his partner, partner arrived and we were interrogated. The real estate agent calmly explained (while lying on the ground, arms outstretched) that he was an agent and we were walking the property. Told the officer to look inside his glovebox for his wallet, and he would also find a stack of his business cards there.

Long story short, the officers checked the agent’s wallet, apologized to us, helped us up off the ground and explained that there had been break-ins in the area as well as drug activity.

We had done nothing wrong yet we didn’t argue, run, or grab the officer’s taser. Neither of us had any criminal record whatsoever. Yet the story could have ended much differently if we hadn’t followed orders.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Atlanta shooting: Rayshard Brooks was shot twice in the back, autopsy report says

The Fulton County District Attorney criticized the police officers' handling of the fatal shooting and said that a decision on whether to bring charges could come around Wednesday.

"(Brooks) did not seem to present any kind of threat to anyone, and so the fact that it would escalate to his death just seems unreasonable," DA Paul Howard said today.

"It just seems like this is not the kind of conversation and incident that should have led to someone's death."

Howard said the possible charges could include murder, felony murder or involuntary manslaughter.

"Specifically, (the question is if) Officer Rolfe, whether or not he felt that Mr. Brooks, at the time, presented imminent harm of death or some serious physical injury. Or the alternative is whether or not he fired the shot simply to capture him or some other reason," Howard said. "If that shot was fired for some reason other than to save that officer's life or to prevent injury to him or others, then that shooting is not justified under the law."

 

[katydid23]

So he dropped the tazer and drew his pistol while chasing a Suspect who pointed a non lethal weapon at him. Is that right?

It's not non lethal if he disables the cop and takes his weapon.

Besides that, the cop cannot let a drunk, violent felon run out into the surrounding community with a dangerous weapon. That would be negligent on his part.

 

[Keefer]

the

Should the officers wait to see if they are going to get tased and potentially disarmed first? I’m having a hard time understanding your thought process.

I think we have to look at the totality of the circumstances. The officer had backup, that is his partner was there and in active pursuit of the suspect. You must understand that anytime you carry a weapon on your person it can be taken away from you, but you must also know that officers have their guns in “retention holsters” that are somewhat proprietary to its user, that is it takes some effort and knowledge to disengage the gun from the holster. A gun in the hand though can much more easily be taken away. There was nothing I have seen to suggest that Mr, Brooks’ goal was anything but to escape.
If Mr.Brooks was running at the officer then yes, I can see the use of deadly force, since the officer had drawn his weapon And Brooks had resisted arrest even in a defensive way. I think the officer should not have drawn his weapon let alone fired it unless he thought Brooks had a firearm. We have not heard the officers side yet, so bear this in mind.
The very fact that Brooks was running away and acting in a defensive manner during almost all of the confrontation and had a taser not a firearm means lethal force was not justified. if only for the fact the officer had not drawn his gun there was no way Brooks could taze him get his gun out of its retention holster and use it before The officers partner could take action, which would be deadly force, and justified.

 

[Keefer]

It's not non lethal if he disables the cop and takes his weapon.

Besides that, the cop cannot let a drunk, violent felon run out into the surrounding community with a dangerous weapon. That would be negligent on his part.

You cannot use deadly force on someone based on what you think they might do later. Mr.Brooks was a large athletic man, he would not need a taser if he really wanted to hurt someone.