Atlanta Mayor On Rayshard Brooks Killing: He ‘Could Have Been Any One Of Us’
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is reflecting on the fatal police shooting of Rayshard Brooks on June 12.
During an interview with NBC’s TODAY, Lance Bottoms says Brooks’ death is all-too common and "is so personal to so many people of color."
"That could have been any one of us," she said on Tuesday (June 16). "That could be any of our kids or brothers. In this case it was: It was someone's father."
The 27-year-old died after he was shot twice in the back by a police officer in a Wendy’s parking lot. His death has since been ruled a homicide and the officer who shot him has been charged with felony murder.
Officers Devin Brosnan and Garrett Rolfe (who shot Brooks) held a 41-minute conversation with him until they tried to arrest him, which is when the situation escalated. Brooks escaped their grasp and had taken a taser from one of the officers. Video shows that when he turned around and pointed it in their direction, Rolfe opened fire, striking him in the back twice, and killing him.
Rolfe was fired the next day and charged with 11 counts on Wednesday (June 17), including felony murder. Brosnan, who did not discharge his weapon, was also charged with three counts including aggravated assault. Both men have turned themselves into authorities. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard recommended no bond for Rolfe and asked for a $50,000 bond for Brosnan.
Bottoms said on TODAY that officers’ interaction with Brooks began as "almost a pleasant interaction."
"It didn't have to end this way," she said. "That's what's so frustrating."
She added: "It leaves us asking so many questions. We do so many things in Atlanta we thought to get it right, and this went so terribly wrong."
Watch the full TODAY segment with Keisha Lance Bottoms below.