What happened to Rayshard Brooks?

​

Rayshard Brooks was a 27-year-old African American restaurant worker who lived in Atlanta. He had been married eight years and had three daughters and a stepson. In an February 2020 interview he discussed the year he spent in prison and his difficulties after being released, such as difficulty finding work. Brooks told the interviewer he was arrested for false imprisonment and financial credit card fraud. He said his public defender told him he could get 10 years, so he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year in prison. Ambrea Mikolajczyk, who runs a construction company in Toledo, Ohio, where Brooks worked last year, said he biked to work every day as he tried to overcome the restrictions placed on him while on probation."Ray had overcome his circumstances. He was working hard to become the best provider, caretaker, community builder, father, husband, son, brother and relationship agent he could possibly be," she said. "The justice system and systemic racism that exists made it fairly impossible for him to try to live a prosperous life well after he had paid his debt." In one instance, a coworker's car broke down and Brooks got off his bike and walked alongside the coworker for two hours. "That's the type of man Ray was. He looked out for everyone," she said.

​

The shooting

​

On the night of June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old man, was shot and killed by Atlanta Police Department officer Garrett Rolfe. Officer Devin Brosnan responded to a complaint that Brooks was asleep in a car blocking a restaurant drive-through lane; Rolfe arrived after Brosnan radioed for assistance some minutes later. After a breathalyzer exam indicated that Brooks's blood-alcohol content was above the legal limit for driving, Rolfe and Brosnan began to handcuff Brooks. Brooks scuffled with the officers, got hold of Brosnan's taser, punched Rolfe, and ran. With Rolfe pursuing him, Brooks turned just enough to fire the taser toward Rolfe, who then shot Brooks twice in the back; a third shot struck an occupied car. Brooks died after surgery.  Footage of the incident from the officers' bodycams, from a witness's phone, and from the restaurant's security system were widely broadcast. Based on these videos and witness reports, prosecutors claim that after Brooks was shot, Rolfe kicked Brooks and Brosnan stood on his shoulder.  

​

At 10:42 p.m. on June 12, 2020, Atlanta Police Department officer Devin Brosnan arrived at the Wendy's restaurant at 125 University Avenue in South Atlanta to investigate a report of a man  asleep in a car which was blocking the drive-through lane. Brosnan awakened Brooks and told him to move the car to a parking space and take a nap; Brooks fell asleep again without moving the car. Brosnan checked Brooks' driver's license and radioed for assistance from an officer certified to conduct driving under the influence investigations. 

​

Officer Garrett Rolfe arrived at 10:56 and performed a pat-down search for weapons, a field sobriety test, and a breathalyzer test. Brooks said he had had one to one-and-a-half drinks and denied driving or being too drunk to drive. The Breathalyzer registered a blood alcohol level of 0.108%, above the legal limit of 0.08%. Brooks asked to leave his car in the parking lot overnight and walk to his sister's house a short distance away.  News outlets have characterized Brooks as relaxed, friendly, and cooperative based off bodycam footage.  

At 11:23, Rolfe told Brooks: "All right, I think you've had too much to drink to be driving. Put your hands behind your back for me"; he and Brosnan then moved behind Brooks to handcuff him. In announcing the charges against Rolfe, the county prosecutor said it was a violation of department policy for Rolfe to begin handcuffing Brooks before telling him he was being arrested; according to one law-enforcement expert, "In many situations, officers should tell someone what is happening because you don't want the person to react in surprise and the officers to take that surprise as resistance." 

​

Brooks tried to break free and he and the officers scuffled on the ground. During the struggle Brosnan drew his Taser, but Brooks wrested it away from him and fired it. Brooks stood up and punched Rolfe, who drew his own Taser and shot Brooks with it. Brooks fled through the parking lot with Brosnan's Taser still in hand.  

​

According to prosecutors, Brooks and Rolfe were 18 feet apart when Rolfe dropped his Taser, drew his handgun and shot Brooks once in the midback and once in the buttocks; a third shot struck a nearby vehicle, narrowly missing its three occupants. According to prosecutors Rolfe then declared, "I got him".  Seven minutes after Brooks was shot an ambulance arrived and he was taken to the hospital, where he died following surgery. 

​

What happened with his case?

​

The medical examiner rule Brooks' death a homicide. The Atlanta Police Department asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to investigate. The two officers were removed from duty; soon after, Rolfe was fired and Brosnan placed on administrative duty. On June 17 the Fulton County District Attorney announced eleven charges against Rolfe: felony murder, five counts of aggravated assault, four police oath violations, and damage to property. He said Rolfe should have been aware that the Taser Brooks had taken posed no danger, as after being fired twice it could not fire again. Brosnan was charged with aggravated assault and two counts of violation of oath. The district attorney also said that Rolfe and Brosnan did not provide timely medical aid to Brooks and that before they did, Rolfe kicked him and Brosnan stood on his shoulders. As of June 17, 2020 the GBI was continuing its investigation. A bond hearing for Rolfe was set for June 23. Brosnan was released after posting bond. This case is still open. 

​

What can we do?

​

1. Sign the petition demanding justice for Rayshard Brooks

​

​

2. Share information about the case, make sure it remains publicized.