Stacey Abrams: Atlanta cops should be held accountable for Rayshard Brooks’ death
Former Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams is calling out Atlanta law enforcement for shooting a young Black man dead Friday night.
Abrams, who almost won a close race against Brian Kemp in 2018, responded to a tweet with a video detailing the killing of Rayshard Brooks at a Wendys on University Ave.
In her response to Brooks running from the police, she states that having adrenaline and irritation are not the same as “mortal fear,” and she believes that running away from the police should not be punishable by death.
READ MORE: New video shows moment Atlanta police fatally shot Rayshard Brooks
Brook, 27, was sleeping behind the wheel at a Wendy’s drive-thru on Friday. When police arrived at the scene at around 10:30 p.m., a scared and intoxicated Brook tried to escape the parking lot on foot.
According to USA TODAY, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds said Brooks, suspected of driving under the influence, pointed a taser at officers, which prompted one of them to fire his weapon.
Abrams asserts that police overreacted to Brooks’ response, saying a taser is not a deadly weapon, unlike a gun.
A taser is not a deadly weapon. A gun is.
Adrenaline and irritation are not the same as mortal fear.
Running away should not be punishable by death.
Public safety must mean the public is safe. All of us.#BlackLivesMatter #AtlantaShooting #RayshardBrooks https://t.co/44ReSLU4Ev
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) June 13, 2020
Abrams also made prior statements, saying last night shooting warrants accountability and investigations.
“The killing of #RayshardBrooks in Atlanta last night demands we severely restrict the use of deadly force,” Abrams said via The Guardian. “Yes, investigations must be called for – but so too should accountability. Sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death.”
READ MORE: Atlanta police chief resigns after fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks
In the following Saturday afternoon, the Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields stepped down, theGrio reported.
The GBI and the Fulton County district attorney’s office are investigating Brooks’s death, The Guardian reported.
Brooks’ death has sparked protests outside of Wendy’s where he was killed. His death is also a reminder of George Floyd’s death in which thousands of people worldwide demonstrated rallies.
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