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in Atlanta, the white cop who shot Rayshard Brooks sued for murder


Six days after the death of Rayshard Brooks, an African-American, in Atlanta, a white police officer (since dismissed) was taken into custody Thursday, June 18, the day after his murder charge.

Eleven charges have been brought against Garrett Rolfe, including “Murder”, punishable by death in Georgia, Fulton County prosecutor Paul Howard said at a press conference on Wednesday. “We concluded that at the time of his death Mr. Brooks did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious injury to officers,” had justified the prosecutor.

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Video revealed that the police kicked his victim when he was on the ground. This “Does not reflect a feeling of fear towards Mr. Brooks, but a different kind of emotion”, commented Mr. Howard.

Another police officer present at the time of the arrest, Devin Brosnan, was for his part charged with“Aggression” and of “Violation of his oath”, in particular because he stood on the injured. He agreed to cooperate with investigators.

Two bullets in the back

The facts occurred Friday evening in Atlanta, capital of the state of Georgia. They come as numerous protests against police violence and against racism have been taking place for weeks in the United States and other countries, following the death of George Floyd, an African-American who died of suffocation by a police officer in Minneapolis, in the northern United States, on May 25.

Workers at an Atlanta fast-food restaurant called the police on Friday evening after a person asleep at the wheel of his car was blocking access to the drive-through. Upon arrival, officers found Rayshard Brooks, 27, intoxicated.

The young man was “Cordial, calm, cooperative”, had underlined Wednesday the prosecutor. But the situation escalated when the agents wanted to arrest him. CCTV footage, released to the public on Sunday by police, shows a fight between officers and the suspect who manages to grab the Taser gun from one of the officers and flees. Agent Rolfe opens fire as the suspect has his back turned. According to the official autopsy, Rayshard Brooks died after being shot twice in the back.

Garrett Rolfe was immediately fired from the police and his colleague assigned to administrative duties. But the drama has rekindled anger in the United States, raw since the death of George Floyd.

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The World with AFP

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