Posts Tagged: Rayshard Brooks
Fulton County DA Who Charged Rayshard Brooks Police Defeated in Runoff Election
Fulton County DA's Office
The Fulton County district attorney who charged 2 white police officers with murdering Rayshard Brooks has lost his job.
Paul Howard Jr. conceded defeat after he lost his runoff election to lost to challenger, Fani Willis, Tuesday night.
Howard also angered law enforcement officers by charging cops who pepper sprayed a young couple on their way home in downtown Atlanta during the George Floyd riots in June.
Howard served as Fulton County's top prosecutor for more than 20 years. Willis is the first female district attorney in Fulton County.
Howard made headlines in June after half of Atlanta Police Department's officers in zones 3, 4 and 6 walked off the job or called out sick in support of one of the cops who is charged with killing Brooks at a Wendy's in Atlanta.
Howard was accused of rushing to judgment by charging two former cops with multiple felony murder counts in the death of Brooks.
Howard's reign as DA was marred by controversies. He is currently under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for allegedly funneling $140,000 to his nonprofit to supplement his salary.
Last week, Howard agreed to pay a $6,500 fine to the state ethics commission, WSB-TV reported. Howard admitted he failed to disclose his role with two nonprofits that paid him more than $200,000.
Howard claimed the cash was a "pay raise".
"I have every confidence that I'll be totally exonerated because what I've done is what most Americans do all the time. They ask for a pay raise," Howard told Channel 2 Action News.
Howard was first elected in January 1997, becoming the first Black man to be elected district attorney in the state of Georgia.
He is reportedly related to NBA star Dwight Howard.
Tags: election news, Paul Howard, police news, police shooting, political news, Rayshard Brooks
Natalie White, Rayshard Brooks' alleged girlfriend, on house arrest
A judge granted bond for Rayshard Brooks' alleged girlfriend, Natalie White, who was arrested for burning down the Wendy's restaurant where Brooks was killed by an Atlanta police officer.
White made her first court appearance Wednesday, wearing a white face mask and blue prison shirt.
A judge granted her bond in the amount of $10,000, but the judge ordered the 29-year-old to wear an ankle monitor while on house arrest because he was concerned White was a danger to the community.
White's attorney, Drew Findling, told Judge Todd Ashley that he's known the White family for 20 years.
He said the family was financially strapped and unable to afford any bond. He asked the judge for a signature bond only.
White is reportedly the girlfriend of Brooks, who was married to Tomika Miller, the mother of 3 of his four children.
White was arrested Tuesday, the same day Brooks was laid to rest in Atlanta.
Curtis Compton-Pool/Getty Images
Miller is seen with her three children during Brooks' funeral service at historic istoric Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
Brooks mentioned a "Natalie White" as his girlfriend in police body cam footage before he died.
"Natalie White, she's my girlfriend," Brooks told the officers.
The attorney for White claims she was "close friends" with Brooks, but the attorney for Brooks' family say they are unaware of any connection between them.
Posted in Crime
Tags: arson, house arrest, Natalie White, Rayshard Brooks, Wendy's restaurant
Rayshard Brooks' alleged girlfriend arrested on first-degree arson charges
Rayshard Brooks' girlfriend, Natalie White, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly burning down the Wendy's restaurant in Atlanta where Brooks was fatally shot by police.
Pictures and videos allegedly show White holding an aerosol can which was used to spread the flames.
A bond hearing for White is set for today, June 24.
Brooks, 27, was gunned down after stealing a police taser and firing it at a pursuing officer after he ran while resisting a DUI arrest on June 12.
Both officers were fired from the police force and charged in Brooks' death.
A group of about 50 people protested Tuesday night outside the Fulton County Jail demanding White's release. Bloggers are raising money to pay her bond.
Tags: arson, felony charges, Natalie White, Rayshard Brooks, videos, Wendy's restaurant
Rayshard Brooks Memorialized At Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church
Family, friends, dignitaries, elected officials and community leaders gathered Tuesday to remember the life of Rayshard Brooks at Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
The 27-year-old Black man was shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer on the night of June 12th. His death sparked national and international outrage.
Tomika Miller, the wife of Rayshard Brooks, weeps while holding their 1-year-old daughter Dream during his funeral in Ebenezer Baptist Church.
According to a press release, Brooks' family selected Ebenezer Baptist Church for the private funeral service because of its global historic presence.
"We're here to provide ministry as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death," said Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, Senior Pastor of Ebenezer. "It's Ebenezer's mission to show up in a time like this, especially given the way he lost his life."
Pastor Warnock added: "Rayshard was not a member of our church but his loved ones are a part of our family. We are a sanctuary for the suffering. We are a house of prayer for all people."
Notable guests included Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms, former Mayor Kasim Reed, Rev. Bernice King, former Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams, rapper/actor/activist T.I. (pictured hugging Tomika Miller) and his wife Tameka "Tiny" Harris.
Due to Covid-19, only 200 guests were allowed inside the sanctuary, which was marked for social distancing.
Singers Kelly Price, Yolanda Adams, Pastor Smokie Norful, actress/singer Tamela Mann, Kurt Carr all provided songs of comfort.
Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., addressed the crowd saying, "Having a father killed when I was only 5 years of age, my heart deeply grieves for [his daughters] Dream, Memory, Blessing and [stepson] Mekai. I know the pain of growing up without a father and the ongoing attention around his tragic loss. I am and will continue to pray for each of you."
During the eulogy, Rev. Warnock reflected on the time he's spent with Brooks' family in the past few days. "I met 8- year-old Blessing, such a sweet and precious child," he told the congregation.
"On the same day her father was killed, they had been celebrating her 8th birthday. What do you do with that when you're 8-years-old? These precious children of God will need the village to surround them and support them and embrace them and love on them and reassure them that they are not alone."
Today's service can be viewed on the church's website, www.EbenezerATL.org.
Source: Press release
Tags: funeral services, Rayshard Brooks, Rev. Dr. Bernice King, Tip "T.I." Harris, wrongful death
Arrest warrant issued for Rayshard Brooks' girlfriend for suspicion of arson
An arrest warrant has been issued for Rayshard Brooks' girlfriend, Natalie White, a suspect in the torching of the Wendy's restaurant where Brooks was gunned down by a police officer.
White, 29, was captured on cellphone video allegedly pouring an accelerant into the restaurant before it burned to the ground following peaceful protests on the night of June 13.
White faces charges of arson in the first degree, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department said on Saturday.
Police responded to a call about a man asleep behind the wheel of a car in the Wendy's drive-thru lane.
In police body cam footage, Brooks said White was his girlfriend.
"Natalie White, she's my girlfriend," he told the officers. He explained that she dropped him off at the restaurant and then walked to her home a few blocks away.
He said when police arrived, he backed the car into a parking space but he did not drive the car to the restaurant.
An arrest warrant has been issued by Atlanta Fire Investigators for Ms. Natalie White. She has been identified as a suspect in the arson fire that burned down the Wendy's Restaurant (125 University Ave) on Saturday, June 13th. Call 404-577-TIPS or 1-800-282-5804 with any info. pic.twitter.com/Xu6W2hgOi6
— Atlanta Fire Rescue (@ATLFireRescue) June 20, 2020
Brooks was shot multiple times as he fled from the police officers who attempted to arrest him for a suspected DUI.
Surveillance video shows Brooks turn and fire the taser at the pursuing officer who shot him twice in the back.
Officer Garrett Rolfe was fired from the police force and charged with 11 criminal counts including felony murder and aggravated assault.
Brooks' wife, Tomika Miller, was gifted with a new car to help her get around with her four children, 13-year-old step-son Mekai, and daughters Blessing, 8, Memory, 2, and Dream, 1.
#rayshardbrooks ' wife gifted a new car to get around during this hard time. I couldn't imagine the pain?#justiceforrayshardbrooks
A post shared by Gossip Of The City (@gossipofthecity_) on Jun 19, 2020 at 6:53pm PDT
Tags: arson, police shooting, Rayshard Brooks, viral video, Wendy's restaurant, wrongful death
Arrest warrants issued in Rayshard Brooks murder case
WSB-TV News
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced arrest warrants will be issued for two police officers involved in the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks.
Getty Images, Facebook
Brooks was gunned down as he fled on foot after struggling with two Atlanta police officers and pointing a police taser at one of them on June 12.
Brooks, 27, died from 2 gunshot wounds to the back, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.
The officer who shot Brooks, Garrett Rolfe (pictured left), faces 11 charges, including felony murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Rolfe was fired on Saturday, June 13, after his superiors determined his use of deadly force was not justified.
Rolfe's partner, Devin Bronsan, was placed on desk duty.
Howard said there was plenty of evidence of wrongdoing. His office interviewed 10 eyewitnesses and collected 8 videos from police body cams, dash cam, Wendy's restaurant surveillance video and three cellphone videos. Physical evidence includes spent shell casings, ballistics, police tasers and 911 call logs.
"For 2 minutes and 12 seconds" there was no medical attention for Rayshard Brooks," Howard said during a press conference at the Fulton County courthouse on Wednesday.
Video shows former officer Rolfe calling out to Brooks, telling him to hold on as he administered CPR to the mortally wounded man.
Director Tyler Perry offered to pay Brooks' funeral expenses as well as provide college scholarships for his four children.
Tags: arrest warrant, Paul Howard, police news, Rayshard Brooks, wrongful death
Reward Increased for Arsonist Who Torched Wendy's Restaurant After Police Shooting in Atlanta
Atlanta Fire Department
The reward for female arsonists who torched a Wendy's restaurant in Atlanta has been increased to $20,000.
The restaurant was destroyed, leaving about a dozen Wendy's employees jobless.
Atlanta fire officials released images from a surveillance video that shows a woman, who appears to be Caucasian, wearing a black miniskirt with a purple cardigan wrapped around her waist.
The same woman was caught on cellphone video pouring an accelerant inside the Wendy's restaurant where Rayshard Brooks was gunned down by a former Atlanta police officer on June 12.
Police are also searching for another Caucasian woman who was pictured holding a can of accelerant outside the Wendy's restaurant as it was fully engulfed in flames.
Caucasian firebugs have caused millions of dollars worth of damage to property during protests -- while blaming the property damage on Black Lives Matter protesters.
Tags: arsonist, Atlanta news, crime news, Rayshard Brooks, reward money
Candace Owens raising funds for fired Atlanta officer who shot Rayshard Brooks; Calls for Atlanta mayor to be fired and police chief reinstated
Candace Owens angered many when she defended the actions of an Atlanta police officer who shot a Black man in the back, killing him.
The anti-black, pro-Trump conservative activist trolled her followers by stating she is raising funds to support the white officer who gunned down Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy's parking lot in Atlanta on Friday night.
Brooks, 27, died from 2 gunshot wounds to the back, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. His death was ruled a homicide.
The cop who shot Brooks, Garrett Rolfe (pictured left), was fired on Saturday after his superiors determined his use of deadly force was not justified.
His partner, Devin Bronsan, was placed on desk duty until the investigation into the officer-involved shooting is completed.
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields stepped down and her resignation was accepted by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Saturday.
In a series of tweets, Owens, 31, said Brooks is a "criminal" and called for the resignation of Mayor Bottoms and the reinstatement of former police capt. Shields.
"Any person demanding justice for #RayshardBrooks is representative of the absolute vermin of American society. There should be protests DEMANDING that the police chief be reinstated and that mayor @KeishaBottoms
RESIGN for placating CRIMINALS.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH.
#BackTheBlue."
Rayshard Brooks ran away from cops with a stolen taser which he attempted to fire at cops. He was JUSTIFIABLY fired on.
Black Lives Matter doesn't care about facts though so let's burn down Atlanta (a black city) and throw Brooks SIX state funerals!
You are all clowns. https://t.co/4m3rjupe8u
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 14, 2020
Any person demanding justice for #RayshardBrooks is representative of the absolute vermin of American society. There should be protests DEMANDING that the police chief be reinstated and that mayor @KeishaBottoms RESIGN for placating CRIMINALS.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH. #BackTheBlue pic.twitter.com/8ITJgZ0PaM
There are millions of black people who wake up every day and do the right thing. We do not riot. We do not loot. We do not do drugs. We do not disrespect law enforcement.
We are tired of having our image tainted by the radical leftist anarchist black lives matter movement.
We are tired of being told we "ain't black" because we don't have the time or the desire to defend your criminal ass brother, cousin, or son— just because he has the same complexion as us.
Black Lives Matter supports criminals. #BLEXIT supports Police Officers.
We are working on building out a fund that will go live tomorrow for officers that are unjustly terminated.
Can someone please get me the name of the officer that was fired for #RayshardBrooks incident?
Tags: Candace Owens, job termination, police shooting, Rayshard Brooks, wrongful death
Rayshard Brooks' Death-by-Cop Ruled a Homicide
Rayshard Brooks, the 27-year-old Black man who was shot by an Atlanta police officer, died from 2 gunshot wounds to the back, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.
Brooks was gunned down in a Wendy's parking lot while fleeing from police late Friday night.
The incident began when police responded to a report that a man was asleep in a car in the Wendy's drive-thru lane. His car was blocking other cars in the drive-thru lane.
Police body cam video shows Brooks having a polite conversation with one of the officers. After failing a field sobriety test, he asked if he could park his car and walk to his sister's house a short distance away, but his request was denied.
Police attempted to cuff Brooks but he resisted and a struggle ensued between the three men.
Brooks was able to wrest a taser away from one of the cops and flee on foot. Surveillance video shows Brooks turning and pointing the taser at a pursuing officer who then fired three shots, killing Brooks.
The officer who fired his weapon was fired on Saturday after officials viewed the boy cam footage and determined the use of deadly force was not justifiable.
His partner was assigned to desk duty while the investigation into the officer-involved shooting continues.
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned and her resignation was accepted by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Saturday.
Protesters demonstrated peacefully outside the Wendy's restaurant on Saturday. But paid agitators in the crowd burned the restaurant to the ground overnight Sunday.
The Atlanta Police Dept. is offering a $10,000 reward for the capture of a Caucasian woman who allegedly set the blaze that torched the restaurant.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard released a statement on Sunday:
"Today, members of my staff had the unfortunate duty of witnessing the autopsy of Mr. Brooks as part of our continued investigation.
Because this is a homicide investigation, there are several technical requirements that must be met before we are able to reach a decision. That includes the confirmation of the ballistics involved and obtaining a preliminary report from the Medical Examiner," according to the DA's statement."
So far, no arrests have been made in the murder of Mr. Brooks.
Tags: Atlanta news, homicide, police misconduct, police shooting, Rayshard Brooks, viral videos, wrongful death
Atlanta Mayor Fires Cop Who Shot Unarmed Black Man at Wendy's; Police Chief Resigns **Update**
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms held a brief press conference on Saturday to announce the termination of the police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Black man on Friday night.
27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was sleeping in his car in the Wendy's drive-thru when the police woke him and attempted to arrest him for a DUI.
He was shot in the back after grabbing one officer's taser and attempting to flee.
Mayor Bottoms said the shooting was not a justifiable use of excessive force, and the officer who fired his service weapon was fired. A second officer at the scene was placed on administrative duty.
Mayor Bottoms also announced the resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields (pictured). She said Shields "offered to immediately step down" to "rebuild the trust so desperately needed throughout our community."
Shields will be reassigned to another position within the city government, and a nationwide search is underway for her replacement.
"To the family of Mr. Brooks, there are no words strong enough to express how sincerely sorry I am for your loss," said Bottoms.
A crowd formed at the Wendy's parking lot and marched holding signs on Saturday. Many Atlantans took to social media to condemn the shooting.
The fatal shooting comes three weeks after George Floyd's death at the hands of a white police officer sparked protests and unrest across the country.
Update: Surveillance video shows Brooks on the ground struggling with two Atlanta PD officers. At some point, Brooks grabbed a taser from one of the cops and pointed it at him while fleeing.
Even if he was guilty of DUI.
Even if he resisted arrest.
Even if he struck a cop.
Even if he attempted to flee the scene.
YOU DONT GET TO KILL HIM. #RayshardBrooks #AtlantaPD
— Jason Willan (@ConsultFantasy) June 13, 2020
Race soldiers with the Atlanta PD executed a Black man #RayshardBrooks last night.
Is Keisha Bottoms going to do another one of her sassy press conferences reprimanding those white officers the same way she reprimanded Black people for protesting?
— Tariq Nasheed ?? (@tariqnasheed) June 13, 2020
I suspect racist Americans will argue #RayshardBrooks shouldn't have ran; he made the officers fear for their lives; his unarmed back threatened them; so they had to shoot him in the back. Or, we'll hear about apples when another murderous tree has fallen.https://t.co/X72AFadaAC
— Ibram X. Kendi (@DrIbram) June 13, 2020
The killing of #RayshardBrooks in Atlanta last night demands we severely restrict the use of deadly force. Yes, investigations must be called for - but so too should accountability.
Sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death. https://t.co/LKsiwA48Ll
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) June 13, 2020
Tags: Breaking News, job resignation, job termination, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, police shooting, Rayshard Brooks, Video