Atlanta Shooting: Security video shows Atlanta police officer fatally shoots and killed a black man. Rayshard Brooks after he allegedly resisted arrest at a Wendy’s drive thru
Rayshard Brooks had been asleep in his car in a Wendy’s drive-thru, causing other customers to drive around the car, the Bureau of Investigation said. Police were dispatched to the Wendy’s around 10:30 p.m., and conducted a sobriety test on Brooks, who failed the test, according to the officials.
“During the arrest the male subject resisted and a struggle ensued,” the Bureau of Investigation said. “The officer deployed a Taser. Witnesses report that during the struggle the male subject grabbed and was in possession of the Taser. It has also been reported that the male subject was shot by an officer in the struggle over the Taser.”
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds said Saturday afternoon that the agency had gathered surveillance video from the Wendy’s, police body cam video and bystander video posted to social media. They agency had spoken with at least one witness, who corroborated the videos, Reynolds said.
Atlanta Shooting: Security Video
Atlanta Shooting: Video Released Of Moment Police Shoots A Black Man Dead At A Wendy’s Drive-thru
Reynolds said Brooks had been under investigation by police for a suspected DUI. Reynolds said that, based on the videos, Brooks appeared to have a Taser in his hand as he ran from officers and, when he was a “relatively short distance away” or “five, six, seven parking spaces,” Brooks turned around and pointed the Taser at the officers. That’s when one officer took out his weapon and fired it, Reynolds said.
“It does appear in the video that he is fleeing from the Atlanta police officers,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said he not sure how many shots were fired. He did not comment on whether the officer’s use of force was appropriate.
The agency planned to make video available to the public by Saturday night, Reynolds said.
Atlanta Shooting: Security Video Shows Fatal Police Shoots A Black Man Dead At Wendy’s
“We have not digitally enhanced that video yet. We will,” Reynolds said.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard, Jr. said in a statement Saturday that his office had already launched an “intense, independent” investigation of the incident, and that members of his office were on the scene shortly after the shooting.
“Our thoughts and our sympathies are extended to the family of Rayshard Brooks as we must not forget that this investigation is centered upon a loss of life,” Howard said.Get the Coronavirus Watch newsletter in your inbox.
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Atlanta Shooting: Security Video
Bystander video of Brooks’ encounter with the police began to circulate on social media Friday night. USA TODAY could not independently verify the video.
Brook’s death comes amid thousands of protests worldwide against police killings of Black people. The mass protests began at the end of May, following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed as a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.