A 27-year-old man was shot and killed by Atlanta police Friday evening during a struggle in a Wendy’s drive-thru line that was captured on cellphone video, the GBI said.
At a protest held outside the restaurant on Saturday morning, Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd said she saw the video online and didn’t believe the fatal shooting was justified.
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The incident began about 10:30 p.m. outside the fast food chain on University Avenue, GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.
Officers were called to the restaurant after receiving a complaint about a man asleep in his vehicle, which forced other customers to go around his car to get their food at the window. The man, Atlanta resident Rayshard Brooks, was given a field sobriety test, which he reportedly failed, according to the GBI.
“After failing the test, the officers attempted to place the male subject into custody,” Miles said. “During the arrest, the male subject resisted and a struggle ensued. The officer deployed a Taser.”
According to police, Brooks managed to take the Taser away from the officer before being shot. He was taken to the hospital and later died, Miles said.
Cellphone video apparently captured by a Wendy's customer appears to show two officers struggling with Brooks in the parking lot. He appeared to be running away from the police when he was fatally shot.
Editor’s note: This video contains graphic content. It does not show the shooting.
Some details in the fatal shooting are not confirmed yet, and the AJC will be updating this story.
Friday’s incident comes after more than a week of national protests over officers’ use of force, particularly against people of color.
Complete coverage: Atlanta protests
The nationwide demonstrations began in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Floyd, a black man, was pinned under the knee of officer Derek Chauvin for nearly nine minutes.
On Saturday morning, a group of protesters gathered outside the Wendy’s where Brooks was shot.
John Wade, the leader of the demonstration, called the Wendy’s parking lot “the new ground zero.”
“Another man was taken right at this spot,” he said.
Additional details surrounding Friday night’s shooting are unclear. The GBI said an Atlanta officer involved in the incident suffered minor injuries. That officer was treated at the hospital and released.
In a tweet, the GBI also said it is aware of the cellphone video circulating online and reviewing the footage as part of its investigation.
The incident marks the 48th officer-involved shooting the GBI has been asked to investigate this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also tracks officer-involved shootings that don't involve the GBI, and those numbers sometimes differ from the GBI's tally.
We’re working to learn more.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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