Protests broke out in Atlanta early Saturday, hours after at least one Atlanta Police officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks, 27, outside a Wendy’s late Friday.
In the wake of Friday's shooting, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the resignation of Police Chief Erika Shields.
"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."
Body-worn or dash-cam video of the incident was released to the public late Saturday. Video circulating on social media reportedly of the incident shows a man grabbing a stun gun from police during a struggle and running from officers. The video shows officers then shooting Brooks as he tried to flee.
“The (Georgia Bureau of Investigations) is aware that there is video posted on social media captured by witnesses in this incident. We are reviewing the video & the early investigative information in this case. We’ll provide an update as soon as we can,” the agency said Saturday morning.
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 at least one 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.
