Atlanta police officer charged with murder in shooting death of Rayshard Brooks

[webfact]

Atlanta police officer charged with murder in shooting death of Rayshard Brooks

By Rich McKay and Nathan Layne

 

Former Atlanta Police Department officer Garrett Rolfe, who was fired after the shooting death of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, poses in an undated photograph released in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. June 14, 2020. Atlanta Police Department/Handout via REUTERS

 

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A fired Atlanta police officer has been charged with felony murder and another officer faces lesser charges in the shooting death last week of Rayshard Brooks in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant, a Georgia county prosecutor said on Wednesday.

 

The death of Brooks - another in a long line of African-Americans killed by police - further heightened racial concerns in the United States at a time of national soul-searching over racism and police brutality.

 

Brooks, a 27-year-old father of three, "never presented himself as a threat," "never displayed any aggressive behavior" and "did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious physical injury" to the two white officers during the June 12 incident, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard told a news conference.

 

Garrett Rolfe, the officer who shot Brooks and was fired the next day after surveillance video showed his actions, faces 11 charges including felony murder, assault with a deadly weapon and violating his oath of office, Howard said.

 

Rolfe faces the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty if convicted, Howard added. Felony murder is a charge that can be brought when a person kills someone in the course of committing another felony.

 

Devin Brosnan, the officer on the scene, was charged with aggravated assault and violations of his oath of office, Howard added. Brosnan, who has been placed on administrative duty, will cooperate with prosecutors, Howard said.

 

Brooks was running from the officers and was more than 18 feet (5.5 meters) away when Rolfe shot him twice in the back with a 9mm Glock pistol, with one of the rounds penetrating his heart, Howard said.

 

"I got him," Rolfe exclaimed after the shooting, Howard said, drawing on eight videos of the incident including police body and dashboard cameras, nearby surveillance cameras and witness cellphone video.

 

After shooting him, Rolfe kicked Brooks twice when he was laying on the ground wounded and Brosnan admitted to standing on the man's shoulders as Brooks was fighting for his life, Howard said. The officers did not immediately render medical aid, Howard added. The prosecutor recommended that a judge hold Rolfe without bond.

 

ONGOING PROTESTS

The killing of Brooks came amid ongoing protests in U.S. cities prompted by the May 25 death of an African-American man named George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him. That officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with second-degree murder. Three other Minneapolis police officers were charged with aiding and abetting.

 

Brooks' family welcomed the Atlanta charges. His widow Tomika Miller told reporters, "I am really hurt, and all I can think about is what if my husband was still here."

 

Previously released video of the Brooks incident, which escalated from a call about a man who appeared intoxicated in his car at the Wendy's restaurant drive-though lane into a fatal shooting, appeared to show him taking one of the officer's Taser devices and turning and pointing it at Rolfe before being shot.

 

Atlanta police rules do not allow an officer to fire even a taser at someone running away, Howard added.

 

"So he certainly cannot fire a handgun at someone running away," Howard added.

 

Brooks acted in a calm and "almost jovial" manner and cooperated with the police as the incident unfolded over a period of 41 minutes, Howard said.

 

Brooks was reported asleep in a car in the Wendy's drive-through lane, blocking traffic. A restaurant employee called the 911 emergency telephone line, complaining about a man who would not move the vehicle and appeared intoxicated.

 

The killing sparked protests in Atlanta. The Wendy's restaurant was burned down in the unrest.

 

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms in the aftermath of the killing announced reforms within the police department. Atlanta's police chief, Erika Shields, resigned following the shooting.

 

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut and Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-18

 

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[whaleboneman]

It may be time for America to change its police force from white to black.

[EVENKEEL]

The first thought that comes to mind is, what cop is going to use deadly force against a violent black person ever again when the "Death Penalty" is possible. From now on the 3 magic words will be "I can't breathe"  This will soon become a joke in the black community. What will a cop do when those 3 magic words are spoken? Well the cop will stop everything, call EMS, call for back up and call for social services. What white cop in there right mind would agree to take a call in a black neighborhood.

 

Kum Bah Yah America

[mr mr]

so did he try to take a taser from the police office or not ? 

[loong]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Atlanta police rules do not allow an officer to fire even a taser at someone running away, Howard added.

"So he certainly cannot fire a handgun at someone running away," Howard added.

So what they are saying that if a suspect is running away and fires over his shoulder at officers in pursuit, the officers are not allowed to return fire??

I can't believe that! That would be totally ridiculous!

So does that also hold true when police are chasing a suspect in a vehicle and the suspect sticks a weapon out the window and shoots at the officers? The suspect is running away, so they cannot return fire in order to protect themselves? 

[loong]

41 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

It may be time for America to change its police force from white to black.

Or at least only send black officers when a black person is invvolved.

[Jingthing]

Good job charging by the great city of Atlanta. 

[loong]

14 minutes ago, mr mr said:

so did he try to take a taser from the police office or not ? 

No, he didn't try, he succeeded.
He was running away and turned and fired the taser.

The pursuing officer saw the suspect point something at him (we don't know if he knew it was a taser or not), he saw the flash as the taser fired. Note that his gun was still holstered at this time. he took out his gun and returned fire.

[loong]

41 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

The first thought that comes to mind is, what cop is going to use deadly force against a violent black person ever again when the "Death Penalty" is possible. From now on the 3 magic words will be "I can't breathe"  This will soon become a joke in the black community. What will a cop do when those 3 magic words are spoken? Well the cop will stop everything, call EMS, call for back up and call for social services. What white cop in there right mind would agree to take a call in a black neighborhood.

 

Kum Bah Yah America

I agree, white officers are going to have their hands tied so securely that they will be totally ineffective wherever a black person is the perpetrator.

[ThailandRyan]

10 minutes ago, loong said:

So what they are saying that if a suspect is running away and fires over his shoulder at officers in pursuit, the officers are not allowed to return fire??

I can't believe that! That would be totally ridiculous!

So does that also hold true when police are chasing a suspect in a vehicle and the suspect sticks a weapon out the window and shoots at the officers? The suspect is running away, so they cannot return fire in order to protect themselves? 

It is now a free for all. With these rules in place, I await Marshall Law to be invoked to protect the citizens from the politicians and thugs.

[Jingthing]

He shot him in the back. 

Brooks was running away. 

He kicked him after he shot him. 

All he has to do was let him run away, call for backup and arrest him later or at his house. 

The cop had a record of excessive force. 

Guilty! 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Jingthing

[smutcakes]

The kneeling on the neck on is as clear as day murder.

 

IMO this one has far more grey area to it. The police were being nice as pie, then for some reason he resisted arrest, through what looked like a few punches, stole a tazer, bolted before turning and pointing the tazer at the officer.... it was all very strange as prior to that it looked like a big standard arrest with both parties acting properly.

 

I think there is enough doubt and grey area in this one, far more than the kneeling on neck one.

[EVENKEEL]

Isn't it ironic that the US is getting accused of Racism yet every Police Chief, attorneys and majors in the recent news on TV is Black.

[EVENKEEL]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

He shot him in the back. 

Brooks was running away. 

He kicked him after he shot him. 

All he has to do was let him run away, call for backup and arrest him later or at his house. 

The cop had a record of excesses force. 

Guilty! 

Proof about the kicking accusation. I know you hear about it same as me but no proof.

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

Isn't it ironic that the US is getting accused of Racism yet every Police Chief, attorneys and majors in the recent news on TV is Black.

Exactly, yet they are seen as Unle Tom's or traitors by there own race.

[Jingthing]

Atlanta is not just any city. 

It's the home of MLK with a great tradition in the struggle for black civil rights. It's a majority black city with a majority black police force. 

[EVENKEEL]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Atlanta is not just any city. 

It's the home of MLK with a great tradition in the struggle for black civil rights. It's a majority black city with a majority black police force. 

Not just Atlanta, the other cities as well.

[Damual Travesty]

1 hour ago, whaleboneman said:

It may be time for America to change its police force from white to black.

America has no police force. Individual cities have there own police forces, and states generally have a Statewide traffic enforce (Think California Highway Patrol). These cities police forces in most cases, and the exceptions being those who are not in compliance with their own laws which are rare, all are fully integrated police forces and reflect the ethnicity of the communities they serve. There is no such thing according to statistical evidence of disproportionate shootings of black Americans by white police officers. This is a myth.

[EVENKEEL]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I think he had been released early from incarceration on another charge because of Covid. Not 100 percent sure of that but there is your motivation. Mr. Brooks was no cop killer. He wanted a freakin burger! 

He should have eaten before getting pass out drunk.

[EVENKEEL]

Atlantic City cops not showing up for work, not taking calls. Lets see take a call against a violent black man or women and risk prison time or stay at home and BBQ. 

[lopburi3]

24 minutes ago, loong said:

The pursuing officer saw the suspect point something at him (we don't know if he knew it was a taser or not), he saw the flash as the taser fired.

Subject was unarmed and had been searched by officers.  They had full knowledge what it was as during arrest scuffle he obtained officers taser and that was immediately shouted out by officer.

While fleeing he reportedly fired taser.

Police shot him multiple times in the back while more than 5 meters away and no threat.

Police kicked and stood on shoot suspect rather than providing medical attention.

[sqwakvfr]

1) The Atlanta Police Department is 58% Black.  

2) The kicking of Brooks after he was shot has not been proven.  The DA blew up a still photo of Rolfe with one leg bent as he stood over Brooks.  

3) The DA said : Brooks did not display “aggressive behavior” He also said in the recent past that a Taser is a deadly weapon.  He said this after 6 Atlanta Officer were fired for using a Taser during the the George Floyd Protest.   

4) Officers get complaint from the public and from supervisors. But not all police complaints are justified.  

5) Rolfe’s BodyCam footage indicates Rolfe rendered first aid to Brooks after he shot him.

 

 

I doubt this trial will happen anytime soon and definitely it will not be in Fulton County.  Let’s see if Rolfe get’s a “jury of his peers”?  

 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by sqwakvfr
Content

[bert bloggs]

30 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I think he had been released early from incarceration on another charge because of Covid. Not 100 percent sure of that but there is your motivation. Mr. Brooks was no cop killer. He wanted a freakin burger! 

Yep he wanted one so badly he fell asleep in the drive in lane twice because he had drunk so much ,gosh he must have been hungry.

[stevenl]

24 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Subject was unarmed and had been searched by officers.  They had full knowledge what it was as during arrest scuffle he obtained officers taser and that was immediately shouted out by officer.

While fleeing he reportedly fired taser.

Police shot him multiple times in the back while more than 5 meters away and no threat.

Police kicked and stood on shoot suspect rather than providing medical attention.

I think that is a very good summary.

[Rimmer]

A troll post/flame  has been removed

[Jingthing]

11 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

Yep he wanted one so badly he fell asleep in the drive in lane twice because he had drunk so much ,gosh he must have been hungry.

Actually it was clear from interaction that he wasn't massively drunk. Drunk enough for a DUI yes. Probably a mix with being tired. Being in that line proved to be a fatal mistake. If he had been snoozing a bit in the parking lot most likely he would have been left alone. 

[bert bloggs]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Actually it was clear from interaction that he wasn't massively drunk. Drunk enough for a DUI yes. Probably a mix with being tired. Being in that line proved to be a fatal mistake. If he had been snoozing a bit in the parking lot most likely he would have been left alone. 

yep he should have just had a snooze in the car park ,mind you if he had been in the UK he would have got a massive fine for staying to long .

[johnpetersen]

8 minutes ago, BTB1977 said:

He took the taser and shot it back at the police officer.  But you can't slant the truth if you include all the information leading up to the shooting.  Nice fake article Thai visa.  Why can't you ever present all the facts.  

You're complaining about facts? What is fake is your assertion that Brooks fired the taser. And try as hard as you might, try and explain away this:

"Brooks was running from the officers and was more than 18 feet (5.5 meters) away when Rolfe shot him twice in the back with a 9mm Glock pistol, with one of the rounds penetrating his heart, Howard said."

[BobBKK]

If an officer says stop you stop. You don't steal his tazer that's asking for trouble.  Why not comply?  sorry he's dead but he sort of asked for it.

[Unify]

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

The first thought that comes to mind is, what cop is going to use deadly force against a violent black person ever again when the "Death Penalty" is possible. From now on the 3 magic words will be "I can't breathe"  This will soon become a joke in the black community. What will a cop do when those 3 magic words are spoken? Well the cop will stop everything, call EMS, call for back up and call for social services. What white cop in there right mind would agree to take a call in a black neighborhood.

 

Kum Bah Yah America

They brought it on themselves, by shooting unarmed men, running away, and claiming they feared for their lives.