US cop fatally shoots Black man during arrest
Even as the United States witnesses widespread demonstrations against the killing of George Floyd, another Black man was fatally shot during an arrest in Atlanta. 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks died on Saturday after a police officer shot him as the former tried to evade arrest, according to officials. The incident has intensified protests against racism and police brutality. Here are more details.
Late-Friday, Brooks had been asleep in his car at a Wendy's fast-food restaurant drive-through in Atlanta, Georgia. Restaurant employees complained to the police that Brooks was blocking other customers, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Police were dispatched to the Wendy's around 10:30 pm. Thereafter, the police conducted a sobriety test on Brooks, which he failed, and tried to arrest him.
Officials said that Brooks tried to resist arrest adding that surveillance footage showed that "during a physical struggle with officers, Brooks obtained one of the officer's Tasers and began to flee from the scene." As the officers chased Brooks, he pointed the Taser at an officer and the officer shot him. Brooks died during surgery at a hospital. One officer was injured.
The incident has fueled more nationwide tensions over police brutality targeting African-Americans. Protesters reportedly blocked the I75 highway in Atlanta on Saturday and set ablaze the Wendy's restaurant where Brooks had been shot. "We've been out here for a couple weeks now and y'all still killing folks," a 24-year-old protester, Kayla Pruitt, told USA Today, "It's like have y'all heard nothing anybody has said?"
The incident comes on the heels of the killing of George Floyd. Floyd (46) died on May 25 in Minneapolis after an officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes during an arrest. Floyd was being arrested for allegedly using a $20 counterfeit banknote. The officer has since been sacked and charged with second-degree murder. Three other sacked cops have also been charged.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced the resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, who had worked at the city police department for more than two decades. Bottoms had also called to terminate the officer who shot Brooks. Atlanta Police spokesperson Carlos Campos told CNN that the officer who shot Brooks has been terminated while a second officer has been placed on administrative duty.
