ATLANTA (US) – An Atlanta police officer was charged on Wednesday with murder for the fatal shooting last week of Rayshard Brooks in a fast-food outlet’s parking lot. Another officer facing lesser charges has agreed to testify against his colleague.
Brook’s death – the latest in a series of fatal encounters of unarmed African Americans with law enforcement – further heightened US tensions at a time of debate over police brutality and racism in the criminal justice system.
Brooks, a 27-year-old father-of-three, “never presented himself as a threat” and showed no aggressive behaviour toward the two white officers involved in the confrontation last Friday, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard told a briefing.
Garrett Rolfe, the officer who shot Brooks and was dismissed the following day after video footage revealed his conduct in the incident, was charged with 11 criminal counts, including felony murder, assault with a deadly weapon and violating his oath of office, Howard said.
Rolfe, 27, could either face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted, Howard added.
Devin Brosnan, 26, the other officer on the scene, was charged with aggravated assault and violations of his oath of office, Howard said. Brosnan, who was placed on administrative duty after the shooting, has given statements supporting the charges against Rolfe, Howard said.
Howard said both men had agreed to surrender to authorities by Thursday.
Brosnan’s role as a cooperating witness against a fellow officer was rare in such investigations, Howard added.
Meanwhile, Brooks’ family welcomed the charges. His widow, Tomika Miller, told reporters: “I am really hurt, and all I can think about is what if my husband was still here.”
In an unusual move, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Howard’s press conference came as a surprise and that the bureau would go ahead with its own inquiry.
Howard said Brooks was running from the officers and was more than 18 feet (5.5 m) away when Rolfe shot him twice in the back with a 9mm Glock pistol. One round penetrated Brooks’ heart.
Howard quoted Rolfe as exclaiming, “I got him,” citing audio bites from eight videos including the police body and dashboard cameras and witness cellphone footage.
After shooting him, Rolfe kicked Brooks twice, and Brosnan admitted to standing on the man’s shoulders as Brooks was dying, Howard said. The officers did not immediately render medical aid, he added. The prosecutor recommended that a judge hold Rolfe without bond.
In a Fox News interview, President Donald Trump voiced concern about Rolfe’s treatment by prosecutors.
“I hope he gets a fair shake because police have not been treated fairly in our country,” Trump said. Referring to Brooks’ behaviour in the encounter, he added, “You can’t resist a police officer like that.”
ONGOING PROTESTS
Brooks’ killing came amid a wave of protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd. The officer who killed him, Derek Chauvin, was charged with second-degree murder. Three other Minneapolis policemen were charged with aiding and abetting.
The Brooks episode started from a call about a man who appeared intoxicated in his car at a Wendy’s restaurant drive-through lane.
Previously released video of the incident shows Brooks grabbing one of the officer’s Taser stun guns and turning and pointing it at Rolfe before being shot. Howard said investigators concluded Rolfe knew by then that the Taser had already been fired twice and thus rendered harmless.
Atlanta police rules do not allow an officer to fire even a Taser or a firearm at someone running away, Howard added.
The killing sparked an outpouring of demonstrations in Atlanta, and the Wendy’s restaurant was burned down in the unrest.
After the incident, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms announced a series of police reforms, and the city’s police chief stepped down.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field