An Atlanta police officer has been fired following the fatal shooting of a black man and a second officer was placed on administrative duty.
The move announced by police early Sunday comes on the heels of the resignation of Atlanta's police chief following the killing of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks. Police identified the fired officer as Garrett Rolfe. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she doesn’t believe the shooting was justified.
"It has become abundantly clear that over the last couple weeks in Atlanta is that while we have a police force full of men and women who work alongside our communities with honor respect and dignity," Bottoms said, "there has been a disconnect with what our expectations are, and should be as it relates to interactions with our officers and the communities in which they are entrusted to protect."
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation say Brooks resisted arrest after he failed a field sobriety test and a struggle ensued over a Taser. Police say 36 people were arrested at Saturday night protests.
A Wendy's restaurant, which was the site of Brooks' death, was destroyed amid the unrest on Saturday.
Police have released body camera and dash camera footage.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations said that officers responded to a call of a man who fell asleep behind the wheel in a drive thru. The police accused Brooks of failing a field sobriety test.
Police then claimed Brooks struggled with officers during the arrest. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations said that officers then fired a Taser at Brooks.
Eyewitnesses told investigators that Brooks then struggled with officers over the Taser, and that’s when Rolfe officer shot Brooks.
Brooks was transported to the hospital, and he died during surgery.
Atlanta has been the site of a number of large protests in recent weeks in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Floyd died on Memorial Day in police custody after a Minneapolis police officer held a knee against his neck for nearly nine minutes.
The NAACP reacted to Saturday's shooting via Twitter.
"Stop urging the black community to be patient as our people are being gunned down by those sworn to 'protect and serve.' Sweeping police reform is no longer a consideration," the NAACP said in a statement.
