Rayshard Brooks, the 27-year-old Black man who was shot by an Atlanta police officer, died from 2 gunshot wounds to the back, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner‘s Office.
Brooks was gunned down in a Wendy’s parking lot while fleeing from police late Friday night.
The incident began when police responded to a report that a man was asleep in a car in the Wendy’s drive-thru lane. His car was blocking other cars in the drive-thru lane.
Police body cam video shows Brooks having a polite conversation with one of the officers. After failing a field sobriety test, he asked if he could park his car and walk to his sister’s house a short distance away, but his request was denied.
Police attempted to cuff Brooks but he resisted and a struggle ensued between the three men.
Brooks was able to wrest a taser away from one of the cops and flee on foot. Surveillance video shows Brooks turning and pointing the taser at a pursuing officer who then fired three shots, killing Brooks.
The officer who fired his weapon was fired on Saturday after officials viewed the boy cam footage and determined the use of deadly force was not justifiable.
His partner was assigned to desk duty while the investigation into the officer-involved shooting continues.
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned and her resignation was accepted by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Saturday.
Protesters demonstrated peacefully outside the Wendy’s restaurant on Saturday. But paid agitators in the crowd burned the restaurant to the ground overnight Sunday.
The Atlanta Police Dept. is offering a $10,000 reward for the capture of a Caucasian woman who allegedly set the blaze that torched the restaurant.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard released a statement on Sunday:
“Today, members of my staff had the unfortunate duty of witnessing the autopsy of Mr. Brooks as part of our continued investigation.
Because this is a homicide investigation, there are several technical requirements that must be met before we are able to reach a decision. That includes the confirmation of the ballistics involved and obtaining a preliminary report from the Medical Examiner,” according to the DA’s statement.”
So far, no arrests have been made in the murder of Mr. Brooks.
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