On Friday, Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe shot Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy's drive-thru as he was running away w/ a Taser. Mr. Brooks died in hospital. What happened in the minutes before he was killed? @Tina_Kelso & I broke down the critical moments nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/…
22:33 APD officers are called to Wendy's in South Atlanta. Mr. Brooks had fallen asleep in his vehicle, which was parked in the drive-through, causing other customers to drive around him, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases…
22:42 Officer Devin Brosnan arrives, wakes Brooks up, and says "Alright, you good? Just pull in somewhere and take a ... alright, you good?"
"Yeah."
"Alright."
Brooks dozes off. Then moves his car from the drive-thru line to the parking space.
"Yeah."
"Alright."
Brooks dozes off. Then moves his car from the drive-thru line to the parking space.
[These details are via new body cam and dash cam videos we received and are adding to the story]
Brosnan seems to want to move on.. but is indecisive. Checks on Brooks again.
22:49 Brosnan calls dispatch for another police officer.
Brosnan seems to want to move on.. but is indecisive. Checks on Brooks again.
22:49 Brosnan calls dispatch for another police officer.
22:56 Officer Rolfe arrives. Questions Brooks. Brooks tells the officers he didn't drive there but was dropped off. Officers don't buy it.
23:03 Rolfe pats him down. Brooks is compliant, even friendly through the exchanges with Rolfe and Brosnan.
23:03 Rolfe pats him down. Brooks is compliant, even friendly through the exchanges with Rolfe and Brosnan.
Rolfe and Brosnan perform a sobriety test on Brooks.
Video via Kiara Owens, Brooks's sister, on Facebook: facebook.com/streetmoneyony…
Video via Kiara Owens, Brooks's sister, on Facebook: facebook.com/streetmoneyony…
23:21 Rolfe repeatedly asks Brooks will he take a breath test for alcohol. Brooks admits he has been drinking. "I'm only going a few minutes down the road. ... I can walk home. My sister's house is right here. My daughter's there right now. My daughter's birthday was yesterday."
"If it's possible for me to park here, lock the car up, and do everything that I need to do in the presence of you guys. I can just go home."
"Mr. Brooks, will you take a preliminary breath test for me, yes or no."
"I don't want to refuse anything."
"Yes or no."
"Yes I will."
"Mr. Brooks, will you take a preliminary breath test for me, yes or no."
"I don't want to refuse anything."
"Yes or no."
"Yes I will."
23:23 Rolfe: "I think you've had too much to drink to be driving. So, put your hands behind your back for me. Put your hands behind your back."
Our story picks up here. Brooks grapples with the officers on ground and runs. He's fatally shot in a minute. nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/…
Our story picks up here. Brooks grapples with the officers on ground and runs. He's fatally shot in a minute. nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/…
*Warning: Disturbing footage at the end.*
You can see and hear the interaction with the officers in this video. We have the originals from the APD and are annotating for the story. youtube.com/watch?v=DOiKgm…
You can see and hear the interaction with the officers in this video. We have the originals from the APD and are annotating for the story. youtube.com/watch?v=DOiKgm…
Story updated with police videos showing interactions with Rayshard Brooks. He was compliant and friendly, they shared a few laughs. He asked if he could leave his car and go home. During the tussle he says "Mr. Rolfe, come on man." W/ @babimarcolini nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/…
Latest: Rayshard Brooks’s death was ruled a homicide on Sunday. The medical examiner’s office said he had been shot twice in the back, causing “organ injuries and blood loss.”
The cause of death was listed as “Gunshot wounds of the back.” Via @NickAtNews nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/…
The cause of death was listed as “Gunshot wounds of the back.” Via @NickAtNews nytimes.com/2020/06/14/us/…
Fulton County District Attorney is about to announce charging decision in #RayshardBrooks killing
Fulton County DA spoke to several witnesses, viewed eight videos of Rayshard Brooks's shooting, examined the Chevy that was hit by a bullet, spoke to the Taser company, experts. pscp.tv/w/1ynJOqQOOYEKR
DA: For 41 minutes and 17 seconds, Mr. Brooks was calm, cordial, compliant.
For some period of 2 minutes and 12 seconds there was no medical attention applied to Mr. Brooks. Officer Rolfe actually kicked Mr. Brooks while he was on the ground fighting for his life. Officer Brosnan stood on his shoulder. pscp.tv/w/1ynJOqQOOYEKR
DA: "The demeanor of the officers did not reflect any fear or danger of Mr. Brooks, but other kinds of emotions"
"At the time he was shot, he did not pose a serious threat." pscp.tv/w/1ynJOqQOOYEKR
This:
DA: Mr Brooks was running away when he was shot twice in the back. One went through his heart. pscp.tv/w/1ynJOqQOOYEKR
Officer Brosnan has become State's witness and will issue statement. He admitted he was standing on Mr. Brooks's body immediately after the shooting.
11 charges against Officer Rolfe include:
- Felony Murder
- Aggravated assault
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Several aggravated assault charges for shooting in the direction of Melvin Evans and others who were seated in the nearby vehicle
- Felony Murder
- Aggravated assault
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Several aggravated assault charges for shooting in the direction of Melvin Evans and others who were seated in the nearby vehicle
