Atlanta agent who killed African-American will be charged
Officer Garrett Rolfe of Atlanta, Georgia, who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks as he fled and pointed an electroshock weapon, will be charged with the death of this African-American, the Fulton County district attorney announced today.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard made the announcement during a press conference, which also featured Brooks’ wife, Tomika Miller, and her attorneys, Justin Miller and L. Chris Stewart.
Garrett Rolfe was fired following the murder of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks last Friday.
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned 24 hours after the incident.
Today’s news came in the wake of a package presented by the Republican Party to reform U.S. police and protests that took place in Georgia’s capital against the police killing of George Floyd, also African-American, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Brooks’ case occurred when Atlanta police were called to a report at a Wendy’s franchise restaurant because of a car that was blocking the drive-thru lane.
Officers found Brooks asleep inside the squad car and asked him to perform an alcohol test.
Video cameras in police vehicles show that the African-American citizen and the officers were quietly talking for about 40 minutes.
However, Brooks ended up fighting with the agents and running away with one of them’ tasers, pointing it at her as she fled through the parking lot of the catering facility.
The autopsy revealed that the citizen was shot twice in the back.
This case comes at a time of demonstrations across the Us, which began by contesting Floyd’s death and turned into an unprecedented anti-corruption protest.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American, died May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a Caucasian police officer pressed his neck with one knee for about eight minutes during an arrest operation, although Floyd said he could not breathe.
Since the social media broadcast, protests against police violence and racism have taken place in dozens of U.S. cities, some of which have been the scene of looting.
The protests quickly gained international dimension, spreading to London, Paris, Berlin or Lisbon.
The four officers involved were fired, and Officer Derek Chauvin, who put his knee to Floyd’s neck, was charged with second-degree murder, risking a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The rest will answer for aid and complicity in second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Floyd’s death occurred during his arrest on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 (18 euros) bill in a store.
