U.S. NewsHuman Rights

Actions

Atlanta Protests Grow After Black Man Is Killed By Police At Wendy's

Rayshard Brooks was killed by Atlanta police after a struggle in a Wendy's parking lot. Police say Brooks grabbed their Taser gun.
Posted at 12:59 PM, Jun 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-14 12:59:04-04

Protests in Atlanta grew over the weekend after police shot and killed a Black man in a fast food restaurant parking lot.

On Friday, Atlanta police found Rayshard Brooks asleep in a Wendy's drive-through. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, police attempted to arrest Brooks after he failed a sobriety test.

Body and dashboard camera footage show Brooks resisting arrest. 

According to a GBI statement, Brooks attempted to run from the scene after a struggle and video shows that he appeared to point a Taser he had taken from an officer back at police.

While running away, Brooks was shot three times. He died from his injuries after surgery at a local hospital.

Since Brooks' death, there have been several protests around Atlanta. One protest blocked off traffic on the city's busy I-85 interstate. The Wendy's where the shooting took place also went up in flames Saturday night.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms had called for the officer who shot Brooks, Garrett Rolfe, to be fired because his actions were not "a justified use of deadly force." A second officer, Devin Bronsan, was placed on administrative duty. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields also resigned after the incident. 

Shields said, "I have faith in the Mayor, and it is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."

Contains footage from CNN.