After the death of the African-American Rayshard Brooks after a police operation in the US metropolis of Atlanta, one of the officers involved was arrested. Prison records indicate that the officer was admitted to the detention center on Thursday (local time).
The public prosecutor announced on Wednesday their decision to charge the man with, among other things, murder and asked him to surrender.
The officer used excessive force, while the victim showed no aggressive behavior, the rationale was. Now the accused faces life imprisonment without parole or even the death penalty.
The post-deployment death of 27-year-old Brooks had fueled nationwide protests against police violence and racism in the United States following the George Floyd case in Minneapolis.
Brooks had fallen asleep behind the wheel of his car on Friday night while waiting in line at a fast food restaurant. The police found that he had too much to drink and tried to arrest him.
Second policeman pending trial
A scuffle broke out, Brooks grabbed an officer’s stun gun and fled. One of the two policemen fired shots that hit him in the back and fatally injured him. The police officer was released without notice and the other officer was temporarily suspended.
The second police officer involved, who is charged with serious bodily harm, among other things, turned himself in accordingly. According to media reports, he was released until the start of the trial.
Noticeably many sick reports with the Atlanta police
According to the prosecutors, he stood on the dying man’s shoulders, as can be seen on recordings. According to local reports, a noticeable number of Atlanta police officers have called in sick since the police officer’s murder charges were made.
It is assumed that they wanted to protest against the actions of the prosecutor.
Three weeks after Floyd died
Brooks died less than three weeks after the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed in a brutal police operation in the state of Minnesota. Floyd’s fate has sparked ongoing protests against police violence and racism.
After Brooks’ death, there had been angry protests in Atlanta. The fast-food restaurant in whose parking lot the crime took place went up in flames the following night. City police chief Erika Shields resigned. (dpa)
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