'Mr. Brooks never presented himself as a threat.'
The officers involved in the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta will be criminally charged, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced in a news conference Wednesday.
Former Atlanta Police Department Officer Garrett Rolfe, who fired the shots that killed Brooks, is being charged with felony murder and former Officer Devin Brosnan, who was also involved in the altercation, will be charged with aggravated assault.
Howard said that the officers' demeanor after shooting Brooks, which included Rolfe kicking Brooks' body, "did not reflect any fear or danger of Mr. Brooks. But their actions really reflected other kinds of emotions."
Howard also described Brooks, 27, as "calm" and "cordial" during the conversation with officers before the shooting, and that he displayed a "cooperative nature" and "almost jovial" demeanor, even though he was "slightly impaired."
The officers first engaged Brooks because he was asleep in the drive-thru of a Wendy's restaurant on June 12. They knocked on his window, woke him up, and told him to park the car in the Wendy's lot. Once Brooks got out of the car, the officers verbally confirmed that he wasn't armed, and patted him down.
The officers administered a breathalyzer test and a field sobriety test, finding him to be over the legal limit. Brooks was cooperative up to this point, but attempted to escape when the officers were putting him in handcuffs.
Both officers attempted to wrestle Brooks to ground, as Brooks fought them off. Brosnan pulls out his Taser, which Brooks is able to take from his hand during the fight. Brooks is able to escape both officers and takes off running with the Taser. Rolfe pulls out his own stun gun and attempts to stun Brooks, but is apparently unsuccessful.
Surveillance footage shows Brooks apparently pointing the Taser at the officers pursuing him. Three shots are fired, and Brooks was shot twice in the back.
GRAPHIC VIDEO: Atlanta Police Release Footage of Rayshard Brooks Shootingwww.youtube.com
Rolfe was fired from the department and Brosnan placed on administrative leave. Police Chief Erika Shields resigned from her position after 25 years of service with the department. The Wendy's restaurant, where the shooting occurred, was set on fire in subsequent protests.
Aaron Colen
Aaron is a former staff writer for TheBlaze. He resides in Denton, Texas, and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Master of Education in adult and higher education.