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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she has accepted the resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields following last night’s officer-involved shooting that took the life of Rayshard Brooks.

Bottoms made the announcement at a press conference held at City Hall on Saturday afternoon. The mayor said the officer’s use of deadly force against Brooks, 27, was not justified and called for his immediate termination.

Brooks was being investigated for a DUI after complaints he was asleep in his car blocking the drive-thru lane of the Wendy’s on University Avenue on June 12 around 10;30 p.m. After a tussle with police, Brooks was shot and killed.

While Bottoms praised the dedication of the officers of the Atlanta Police Department, she said “there has been a disconnect between officers and the communities they protect.”

Bottoms said Shields has been a “solid member of APD for two decades” and will remain with the force in a role to be determined.

“Chief Shields and I believe Atlanta can be a model of meaningful police reform,” Bottoms said. She said Shield’s stepping aside would allow the city to “move forward with urgency to rebuild trust throughout our communities.”

Former assistant police Chief Rodney Bryant will serve as the interim chief while the city launches a  national search for new leadership, Bottoms said.

“The service and sacrifice of APD’s officers is not lost upon me, and I remain grateful for the work that you do to keep our city safe,” the mayor said. “But as Dr. King reminded us many years ago, there is a fierce urgency of now that calls upon each of us, myself included, to be held accountable to the communities in which we are entrusted to serve.”

Bottoms said she had convened an advisory council to review the APD’s use of deadly force policy and recommendations would be forthcoming soon.

The mayor said to the family of Brooks that she was ” sincerely sorry for your loss” and hoped they would take some comfort in the “swift action taken today” and the meaningful reform to come.

Shields released this statement to the media: “For more than two decades, I have served alongside some of the finest women and men in the Atlanta Police Department. Out of a deep and abiding love for this City and this department, I offered to step aside as police chief. APD has my full support, and Mayor Bottoms has my support on the future direction of this department. I have faith in the Mayor, and it is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

The post Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shield resigns after officer-involved shooting appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

Seven people have been shot and two are dead in the Edgewood community, according to a report from the Atlanta Police Department.

Details are still vague on what exactly happened, but it appears the occupant of a vehicle fired multiple shots into a group of people.

According to the report from APD, officers responded to multiple persons shot at 69 Mason Ave NE on June 13. The preliminary investigation indicates at least 7 people were shot at this location. Some were transported to the hospital by ambulance, while others were transported by private vehicle. Two victims have died.

Atlanta Police Homicide investigators are working this case and believe the vehicle shown in the photo above to be involved. Preliminary information indicates an occupant of the vehicle fired multiple shots into a group of people, striking the seven victims.

Anyone with information on the vehicle or its occupants is asked to call Crime Stoppers. Information on the case can be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.StopCrimeATL.com.  Persons do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for the reward of up to $2,000 for the arrest and indictment of the suspect.

The post Seven shot, two dead in Edgewood neighborhood appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released surveillance video of the Atlanta police officer-involved shooting and killing of Rayshard Brooks that has sparked local and nationwide outrage.

GBI Director Vic Reynolds said in a Saturday afternoon press conference that the agency had reviewed surveillance video from the Wendy’s restaurant on University Avenue, as well as numerous social media videos of the incident.

Reynolds said Brooks, 27, was suspected of a DUI offense after he was found asleep in his car, which was blocking the drive-thru window. Reynolds said a physical confrontation took place, then Brooks got one of the officer’s tasers before fleeing from police.

“It appears that the gentleman has the taser in in his hand, runs a relatively short distance, and then appears to turn around and point the taser at the Atlanta officer,” Reynolds said. “That is when officer reached down and retrieved his weapon from his holster and discharges and fires at Mr. Brooks, who goes down.”

Reynolds said this timeline is what appears to the “naked eye,” but the surveillance video is being digitally enhanced for closer inspection. He also said he believes Brooks was shot three times, but hat not seen the final report.

Reynolds said he has asked agents to expedite the investigation, citing the “tremendous amount of passion in the case.”

“I humbly and respectively ask the the public to wait for the video so they can see what we’ve been able to see before making a judgement,” Reynolds said.

The original GBI report released this morning said that at approximately 10:33 p.m, on June 12, APD was dispatched to the Wendy’s fast food restaurant at 125 University Ave. Officers were responding to a complaint of a male in a vehicle parked in the drive thru asleep, causing other customers to drive around the vehicle.

After failing a field sobriety test, officers attempted to place Brooks into custody and a struggled ensued. The APD officer deployed a taser and witnesses report that during the struggle Brooks grabbed and was in possession of the taser.  It has also been reported that the male subject was shot by an officer in the struggle over the taser.

Social media of the incident appears to show Brooks running away from the officers when he was shot.

Brooks was transported to a local hospital where he died after surgery.  One officer was treated for an injury sustained during the incident and was subsequently discharged from the hospital.

Once completed, the case will be turned over to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Protesters, who have been marching and rallying against racial injustice for two weeks in Atlanta following the officer-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, gathered at the Wendy’s, State Capitol, and various other locations around the city.

Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens released a statement about the shooting on Saturday afternoon. “I am saddened to start this day with the news of another black person killed by the police, and especially dismayed to see it happen in our city. Police must de-escalate situations like these before they turn deadly. Once the suspect fled unarmed and intoxicated through a parking lot of bystanders, this could have become an investigation rather than a shooting. With the resources we have at hand to investigate, detectives could have located the escaped DUI suspect, but instead we are mourning another unnecessary loss of black life. In solidarity with the millions of voices across this nation, I’m calling for a full review of all APD procedures, training, and shootings. TIME OUT FOR WORDS!”

The Georgia NACCP called on Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to relieve APD Chief Erika Shields of duty following Brooks’ death.

 

Check back for updates on this developing story.

The post UPDATE: GBI releases surveillance video in Atlanta officer-involved shooting, killing of man appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she has accepted the resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields following last night’s officer-involved shooting that took the life of Rayshard Brooks.

Bottoms made the announcement at a press conference held at City Hall on Saturday afternoon. The mayor said the officer’s use of deadly force against Brooks, 27, was not justified and called for his immediate termination.

Brooks was being investigated for a DUI after complaints he was asleep in his car blocking the drive-thru lane of the Wendy’s on University Avenue on June 12 around 10;30 p.m. After a tussle with police, Brooks was shot and killed.

While Bottoms praised the dedication of the officers of the Atlanta Police Department, she said “there has been a disconnect between officers and the communities they protect.”

Bottoms said Shields has been a “solid member of APD for two decades” and will remain with the force in a role to be determined.

“Chief Shields and I believe Atlanta can be a model of meaningful police reform,” Bottoms said. She said Shield’s stepping aside would allow the city to “move forward with urgency to rebuild trust throughout our communities.”

Former assistant police Chief Rodney Bryant will serve as the interim chief while the city launches a  national search for new leadership, Bottoms said.

“The service and sacrifice of APD’s officers is not lost upon me, and I remain grateful for the work that you do to keep our city safe,” the mayor said. “But as Dr. King reminded us many years ago, there is a fierce urgency of now that calls upon each of us, myself included, to be held accountable to the communities in which we are entrusted to serve.”

Bottoms said she had convened an advisory council to review the APD’s use of deadly force policy and recommendations would be forthcoming soon.

The mayor said to the family of Brooks that she was ” sincerely sorry for your loss” and hoped they would take some comfort in the “swift action taken today” and the meaningful reform to come.

The post BREAKING: Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shield resigns after officer-involved shooting appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating the officer-involved shooting and killing of a man by Atlanta Police Department officers at a Wendy’s on University Avenue on Friday night.

The deceased subject has been identified as Rayshard Brooks,  27, of Atlanta.

According to a GB I report on the incident, at approximately 10:33 p.m, on June 12, APD was dispatched to the Wendy’s fast food restaurant at 125 University Ave. Officers were responding to a complaint of a male in a vehicle parked in the drive thru asleep, causing other customers to drive around the vehicle.

After failing a field sobriety test, officers attempted to place Brooks into custody and a struggled ensued. The APD officer deployed a taser and witnesses report that during the struggle Brooks grabbed and was in possession of the taser.  It has also been reported that the male subject was shot by an officer in the struggle over the taser.

Social media of the incident appears to show Brooks running away from the officers when he was shot.

Brooks was transported to a local hospital where he died after surgery.  One officer was treated for an injury sustained during the incident and was subsequently discharged from the hospital.

Once completed, the case will be turned over to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Protesters, who have been marching and rallying against racial injustice for two weeks in Atlanta following the officer-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, gathered at the Wendy’s and are expected to protest again Saturday evening at Centennial Olympic Park.

The Georgia NACCP called on Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to relieve APD Chief Erika Shields of duty following Brooks’ death.

The post GBI investigating officer-involved shooting, killing of man at fast food restaurant appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

The Reimagining Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) Task Force has submitted its final report to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms offering options on what to do with the city jail and related policing policies.

In support of community organizers’ call for closure of the jail, as well the declining number of daily inmates and increased operating costs, Bottoms signed legislation in May 2019 to create the task force.

The task force envisions the jail site as a multi-service center that would create housing opportunities in a range of forms – affordable housing, supportive housing, sobering beds, shelter beds, safe-haven beds, or crisis-intervention beds for people experiencing a behavioral health episode that does not require hospitalization. The space would also house compatible, revenue-generating activities that are consistent with the mission and values of the space.

The task force recommended four options for the jail property in Downtown Atlanta, ranging from changing the facade ($40 million) to completely rebuilding the site into a Center for Equity campus ($108 million). Another would create a “Downtown Anchor” ($65.4 million) that would also allow mixed-use, while the other is to completely demolish the building and transform the land into a park or memorial ( no estimated cost).

The task force is also recommending changes to city ordinances including the repeal of quasi-criminal city ordinances where the behavior prohibited by the ordinance is already criminalized by a parallel state statute; repeal of city-only ordinances related to animal control; repeal of a city ordinance regarding discharge of a firearm within city limits, recognizing other, more severe, criminal charges are now better employed to
address this dangerous behavior; repeal of open container on a sidewalk ordinance; conversion from quasi-criminal to civil of city ordinance violations relating to housing, building code, zoning, and other business and land use-related ordinances; and conversion to civil of city-only ordinances which relate to violating public park
rules and other public space violations.

“More than a year ago, I signed legislation to begin reforming our approach to public safety through a collaborative process to close and reimagine ACDC as a resource for empowering our communities,” said Mayor Bottoms. “Thank you to the members of this Task Force for your tireless efforts to ensure that all who call Atlanta home have not only a second chance, but for most, a first chance to have access to opportunity. Together, we can build a smarter and fairer system to equip Atlantans with the tools needed for success in the 21^st Century.”

Mayor Bottoms’ proposed FY21 budget will include an amendment to reduce the Department of Corrections $18.9 million to $3.6 million until the jail closes; move $13.5 million and the majority of the jail staff to the Mayor’s Office of Constituent Services to broaden and enhance community-based initiatives; and $1.85 million to other city departments.

The Task Force consisted of 52 members from a cross-section of individuals from the City of Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb County, service providers, community organizations, residents, the academic community, the business community, the faith community, public safety representatives, and elected officials.

The recommendations in the Task Force Report includes four design proposals, over 10 City and State statute amendments, and four focused service areas.

View the full report at this link.

The post Task force submits final report on closure and reimagining of city jail appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

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