Atlanta Mayor Addresses Shooting Death Of Rayshard Brooks

On Tuesday morning, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was on the TODAY show to comment on the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks by police officers in her city.

“That could have been any one of us. That could be any of our kids or brothers. In this case: It was someone’s father.”

Rayshard Brooks died when he was shot in the back twice by an Atlanta police officer in a Went’s Parking lot. Someone called the authorities because he was sleeping in his car. He failed a sobriety test, things escalated and surveillance video shows what appears to be Brooks running away after taking a stun gun from one of the officers.

According to Vic Reynolds, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Brooks appeared to have turned around and pointed the weapon at an officer. The officer then fired shots, fatally wounding the man.

Less than 24 hours after the shooting, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned. She gave a statement to the press saying:

“It is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

Mayor Bottoms is quoted, saying:

“It didn’t have to end this way, that’s what’s so frustrating.”

Source:
NBC