Students tased by APD officers during 2020 protests could receive $2M settlement

ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council will vote on a settlement for two college students who were pulled from their car and tased during 2020 protests in downtown Atlanta.

A council spokesperson confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that a $2 million settlement for Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim is on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

Legal experts break down what the settlement and others paid recently by the city means, on Channel 2 Action News This Morning.

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On May 30, 2020, Morehouse student Messiah Young and Spelman student Taniyah Pilgrim got stuck in Atlanta traffic as the streets were filled with protesters in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Young and Pilgrim, who were not part of the protests, said they pulled out their phones to record what they were seeing.

A viral video showed officers using their Tasers and forcing the Morehouse and Spelman students out of their car.

“I just can’t stop thinking about if cameras weren’t there or if they would have went a little bit further,” Pilgrim told Channel 2 Action News in 2020. “It’s all that can cross my mind.”

Police released body camera video from the incident and later fired two of the officers for excessive force. A special prosecutor later dismissed the charges against the officers.

Young and Pilgrim filed a civil lawsuit against the city, saying they wanted officials to take responsibility for what happened to them that night.

The city will vote on a settlement regarding their case at 1 p.m. on Monday. Channel 2 Action News will bring you a decision as soon as it’s announced.

RELATED STORIES:

• Officers fired for tasing college students had just finished de-escalation training, records show
• “We felt like we were going to die” Students Tased by Atlanta police speak for first time
• 2 APD officers fired after video shows them using ‘excessive force’ on 2 college students during protests
• Charges dismissed against officers who Tased college students pulled over in car
• Students Tased by Atlanta police last summer filing lawsuit against city, mayor, several officers
• “We felt like we were going to die” Students Tased by Atlanta police speak for first time

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Students tased by officers in 2020 incident to file civil suit against city It comes after a special prosecutor exonerated the six officers under investigation in the case.

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