A public viewing for Rayshard Brooks, the man shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer during a DUI arrest on June 12, was held at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue today, June 22. A private funeral will be held at the church at 1 p.m. on June 23. The service will be live streamed at ebenezeratl.org.
At their June 17 meeting, Fulton County Commissioners unanimously approved legislation to establish penalties for hate crimes. The ordinance, sponsored by District 2 Commissioner Bob Ellis, calls for criminals who target victims based on race, color, creed, age, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin to face up to 60 days in jail and up to a one thousand dollar fine. The measure was co-sponsored by District 4 Commissioner Natalie Hall, District 6 Commissioner Joe Carn and Fulton County Commission Vice-Chairman and District 5 Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington, Jr.
Atlanta police union and lawmakers held a news conference Sunday calling for a special prosecutor to be named in the Rayshard Brooks case. According to a report at WSB, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers were joined by several state leaders, including Rep. Doug Collins and Georgia Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan, at police headquarters. The leaders voiced their support for Atlanta police department, but also called for Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr to step in and appoint an independent prosecutor to oversee the case. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced last week that two officers would be charged in the June 12 shooting death of Brooks at the Wendy’s restaurant on University Avenue.
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