This is Rayshard Brooks, the man killed by Atlanta police
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) provided an update on the fatal police-involved shooting of a black man at an Atlanta fast food drive-thru last night.
According to GBI Director Vic Reynolds, at around 10:33 p.m. ET on Friday night, Atlanta Police requested the assistance of the GBI in an officer-involved shooting at a Wendy’s restaurant on University Ave in Southeast Atlanta. The incident involved two Atlanta Police officers and Rayshard Brooks.
The GBI has continuously worked on the investigation since being called into the matter Friday night and has spoken with several witnesses and viewed different surveillance videos including Wendy’s surveillance footage and video taken by witnesses posted to social media, Reynolds said in a news conference Saturday afternoon.
The statement made early Saturday morning by the GBI was released after officials reviewed body cam footage provided by the APD.
What happened, according to the GBI: Reynolds said it appears that Brooks was under investigation by the APD for a suspected DUI offense, and that sometime during the course of the investigation, he became engaged with two Atlanta officers and that engagement turned into a physical confrontation, as seen on video.
During the course of that confrontation, Brooks was able to secure the Taser from one of the Atlanta police officers, Reynolds said.
Based on surveillance footage from Wendy’s, GBI says it appears that Brooks ran off with one of the officers’ Tasers and made it only short distance away, the length of what is described as 5-7 parking spaces, and then turns around, and points the Taser at the Atlanta officer.
“At that point the Atlanta officer reaches down and retrieves his weapon from his holster, discharges it, strikes Mr. Brooks there on the parking lot and he goes down,” Reynolds said.
Moving forward: Reynolds said he instructed agents to expedite the investigation, saying he wants to be “very, very quick” but still “very thorough.”
“We have to do it the right way. I’m sure when I speak to the public that anybody who had a loved one in this situation on either side, either as a law enforcement officer or as someone who has been involved in a situation where officers used deadly force that they want the investigation done correctly. They want it done thoroughly, and they want it done right,” he said.
The GBI says it will make surveillance video of the incident available to the media Saturday evening with a digital enhance of what the GBI focused on in the investigation into the incident.
“In circumstances like this, when an officer is involved in the use of deadly force, people have a right to know how it happened. Where it happened. The circumstances surrounding the situation,” Reynolds said.
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