ATLANTA — On June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks died after Atlanta police officers shot him during a confrontation at an Atlanta Wendy’s.
The Brooks case gained national attention and his death sparked days of protests in the city.
Here is a timeline of events from the past two years since Brook’s death and what we know about the case.
June 12, 2020: Rayshard Brooks fell asleep in the drive-thru of the Wendy’s on University Avenue. Brooks and the two Atlanta police officers who responded got into a confrontation. One of the officers tried to put Brooks in handcuffs, but Brooks struggled, grabbed one of the officers’ Tasers and ran away. Brooks then pointed that Taser back at the officers. Officer Garrett Rolfe fired three shots at Brooks. Two of the shots hit and killed him.
June 13, 2020: Atlanta police fired Officer Rolfe and placed Officer Devin Brosnan on administrative leave. Atlanta police chief Erika Shields steps down effective immediately and Rodney Bryant is named interim police chief.
June 13, 2020: Protesters congregated at the site where Brooks was killed, setting the Wendy’s on fire and blocking the highway for hours.
June 14, 2020: Atlanta police released to Channel 2 Action News the body camera footage from Brooks’ shooting death. The body camera footage is 40 minutes and 23 seconds long. If you have trouble loading the videos below, click here for Rolfe’s or click here for Brosnan’s. WARNING: The videos contain graphic images and explicit language.
June 14, 2020: The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Brooks died after two gunshot wounds to the back. The manner of death is classified as a homicide.
June 15, 2020: Details about a 911 call that led to the shooting death of Brooks were revealed for the first time. It was a Wendy’s employee that made the initial call to police when Brooks’ car stopped in the middle of the drive-thru line after he passed out. During the 911 call, the worker told the dispatcher that she tried to wake Brooks up.
June 17, 2020: Fulton County DA Paul Howard announces charges against Rolfe and Brosnan. Rolfe is charged with 11 counts, including felony murder and aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and violations to his oath of office. Brosnan is charged with aggravated assault and two violations of oath of office.
June 19, 2020: Rolfe and Bronsan turned themselves in to police Thursday, one day after the district attorney brought charges against them.
June 23, 2020: The funeral for Brooks is held at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Bernice King delivered remarks at the funeral. The private funeral took place with 350 family members in the pews, all wearing white.
July 4, 2020: Secoriea Turner, 8, was shot and killed as she road in a car with her mother and a friend on July 4th near the now-infamous Wendy’s where Brooks died. A driver was trying to turn around after encountering illegal barriers when a group of armed men confronted him and opened fire into the car. Protesters had been occupying the Wendy’s since Brooks’ death although protesters have said the armed men were not part of their group, which was gathering peacefully.
July 10, 2020: In an exclusive interview with Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne, interim chief Rodney Bryant said he has a problem with the process the DA Howard followed and he believes charges were brought too quickly.
July 14, 2020: The Wendy’s that was site of Brooks’ death and near where Secoriea Turner was killed is torn down. Channel 2 Action News was there as crews demolished the burned-out fast-food restaurant off University Avenue. NewsChopper 2 and NewsDrone 2 flew over the former Wendy’s for a better perspective of what’s left of the building.
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July 20, 2020: Attorneys for Rolfe filed a motion in court to have Howard removed from the case.
Aug. 5, 2020: Rolfe sues Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and interim police chief, saying his firing violated his constitutional rights and the city code.
Sept. 29, 2020: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation completed its investigation into Brooks’ death and turned it over to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
Jan. 31, 2021: The family and friends of Brooks held an emotional gathering on what would have been his 28th birthday. Brooks’ widow Tomika Miller thanked those who came out Sunday and said she wants to continue pushing for police reform.
May 5, 2021: The Atlanta Civil Service Board reversed the termination of Rolfe. The board made no rulings or comment on whether the shooting of Brooks was justified.
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June 4, 2021: A judge recused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting Rolfe and Bronsan. Willis argued that her office can barely handle the case because of actions by her predecessor, Paul Howard.
July 21, 2021: Georgia’s attorney general named the head of the state prosecuting attorneys council to prosecute two Atlanta police officers. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis requested her office be recused from prosecuting. Chris Carr’s office announced that he appointed Pete Skandalakis to handle the case.
June 10, 2022: Rolfe and Brosnan filed a joint lawsuit against the city of Atlanta. The lawsuit said the officers’ constitutional rights were violated and the two were falsely arrested after shooting and killing Brooks.
Aug. 23, 2022: Special prosecutor dropped all charges against the officers. Skandalakis’s team determined the officers’ use of force was justifiable and there was no criminal intent.
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