The fatal shooting of a black man by a white police officer in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday (June 12) night led to protests and riots across the city. Police received a report about a car with a sleeping man parked in the drive-thru lane at Wendy's and found Rayshard Brooks, 27, behind the wheel.
Officers conducted a field sobriety test, which Brooks failed. As they tried to take him into custody, he resisted. During the struggle, Brooks managed to take a Taser from one of the officers before breaking free.
As Brooks ran away, he turned and fired the Taser. As he did, one of the officers opened fire and shot Brooks. He was rushed to the hospital where he died.
The next day, it was announced that Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields was stepping down.
"I have faith in the mayor, and it is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve," Shields said in a statement.
The officer, identified as Garrett Rolfe, was terminated, and the other officer at the scene was placed on administrative leave.
After the shooting, a crowd of people gathered in the parking lot of the Wendy's, where Brooks was shot. The protest remained mostly peacefully throughout the day on Saturday, but as the sun went down, the protest turned violent.
Rioters set the Wendy's ablaze and prevented the fire department from responding. It took fire trucks nearly an hour to reach the building. The protesters also blocked part of a nearby highway.
Officials said that 36 people were arrested in relation to the protests and riots.
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