Three weeks after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, an African American was killed in Atlanta, Georgia by police during an attempted arrest. The embers of the protests were still hot, this event set them on fire again, despite the resignation of the police chief.
The facts took place during the night of Friday to Saturday. According to an official report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man, fell asleep in his car on the driveway of a Wendy's restaurant. Facility staff called the police because their vehicle was blocking customers. Brooks was intoxicated and resisted when police wanted to arrest him, the report said, citing video surveillance footage, saying it shows "that during a physical fight with the officers, Brooks grabbed one of the agents' Taser and fled. " “The officers chased Brooks on foot and during the chase Brooks turned and pointed the Taser at the officer. The officer used his weapon, hitting Brooks, "said the document.
The young man was transported to a hospital for surgery, but died soon after. He was the father of a little girl.
"I don't think the use of lethal force was justified and I asked for the police's immediate dismissal," Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a press conference on Saturday afternoon. .
Police officer sacked, colleague dismissed
The mayor announced the resignation of Erika Shields, who has led the Atlanta police for over 20 years. "Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should be nationwide, Erika Shields has offered her immediate resignation as chief of police," said the mayor, whose statement was broadcast on the television.
After the death of George Floyd, Keisha Lance Bottoms, whose name is put forward as possible running mate for Democrat Joe Biden for the presidential election in November, had severely condemned the violence and looting that had punctuated the protests in his city.
The police department dismissed the officer who allegedly shot and killed Brooks, police spokesman Carlos Campos confirmed. Another officer involved in the incident was placed on administrative leave. Authorities have not released the names of the two officers, both white.
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Several hours later, after dark, clashes broke out. The fast food restaurant where the fatal altercation took place was burned down. Images from local television showed the restaurant in flames for more than 45 minutes before the arrival of the firefighters, protected by a line of police. The building, located next to a petrol station, has been completely burned out. A hundred protesters marched on Interstate-75, a major highway in Atlanta, to demand that the police involved be prosecuted by the criminal justice system. The police deployed a line of cars to detain them.