Georgia police officer who attacked Black passenger fired
The passenger was reportedly attacked for not showing his ID to the Georgia cop
The police officer who was seen on video pressing his weight against a Black passenger near Atlanta has been terminated.
The officer has been fired from the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office following the incident of excessive force.
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The now viral video shows a helpless Black man, Roderick Walker ,pleading with the enforcement to leave him alone, only to be smacked in the face by the officer who was in full uniform.
Walker has a swollen eye after receiving several punches. The officer also held his knee to the man’s neck.
Walker, his cousin and a third person were passengers in a vehicle that was pulled over in Clayton County, Georgia. The car was pulled over because its taillight was out, TMZ reported.
While initial reports stated that Walker and his group were Lyft passengers, the ride-sharing company released a statement on Monday clarifying that they were not.
“We’ve been made aware of a disturbing incident in Georgia. While we confirmed this did not happen during a Lyft ride, we unequivocally stand against racism and unnecessary use of force,” the Twitter statement read.
During the incident, the officers asked for a driver’s license, but the driver did not provide one. Instead, they asked for the licenses of the passengers, even though they had nothing to do with the alleged infraction.
A fight ensued between Walker and the officers.
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“I’m gonna die!” and “I can’t breathe,” a young child who witnessed Walker on the ground heard him say, according to TMZ.
“After being made aware of a video posted on social media involving a Deputy using physical force on a man, Sheriff Victor Hill ordered his entire Internal Affairs Unit to come in and begin an investigation that has been on going since 8 p.m.,” the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ on Saturday.
On Sunday, the Sheriff’s office announced that the officer was no longer employed.
“The Deputy who repeatedly struck Roderick Walker is being terminated from the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office by order of Sheriff Victor Hill for excessive use of force.”
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