DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a protester shot and killed at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center has filed a lawsuit against Georgia State Patrol troopers and other law enforcement officers.
State troopers shot and killed Manuel Teran at an encampment near the facility in January 2023.
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The lawsuit says the trooper’s “use of force violated the 4th amendment and ultimately caused Teran’s death.”
“We are here after the impossible...to know what really happened,” Teran’s father, Joel Paez, said. “Manuel was a forest defender. Forest defenders are not terrorists,”
Channel 2′s Audrey Washington reached out to the Georgia State Patrol for a comment, but has not heard back.
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Troopers said Teran fired at them first when they reportedly tried to clear the area of protesters. They told Channel 2 Action News they had no other choice but to return fire.
Teran’s family and attorneys dispute that account.
“Manuel’s hands were shot through the back of their hand, through their palm,” attorney Brian Spears said.
Attorneys said they filed the lawsuit to get more answers about who organized the raid.
The suit also states that Teran was shot and killed while camping in Intrenchment Creek Park, which attorneys said is not owned by the City of Atlanta.
“Neither the GBI nor the City of Atlanta had the authority to exclude any person form Intrenchment Creek Park,” the complaint read.
Both the attorneys and the family say they question the evidence the GBI cites in their report because they have not seen it.
“We do not believe them,” said Paez.
“Why? Why did this happen to my child?” Belkis Terán, Teran’s mother.
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