ATLANTA, GA – The fired Atlanta police officer who has been charged with murder in connection with the death of Rayshard Brooks has been reinstated to the force but will remain in administrative leave until the pending criminal charges against him are resolved, reports say.
Garrett Rolfe was fired on June 13, 2020, one day after the fatal shooting of Brooks in the parking lot of a Wendy’s fast food restaurant. The Atlanta Civil Service Board, who released their decision last Wednesday after Rolfe appealed his firing, said that the former officer had been deprived of his right to due process before being terminated from the force.
“Due to the City’s failure to comply with several provisions of the Code and the information received during witnesses’ testimony, the Board concludes the Appellant was not afforded his right to due process,” the board said. “Therefore, the Board grants the Appeal of Garrett Rolfe and revokes his dismissal as an employee of the APD.”
According to released bodycam and surveillance camera footage, on the evening of June 12, officers Rolfe and Devin Brosnan had responded to complaints that Rayshard Brooks had fallen asleep in his car while in the drive-through lane at a Wendy’s.
After conducting an investigation, the officers determined that Brooks was too drunk to drive and attempted to place him under arrest, at which time Brooks actively resisted with violence, punching the officers in the face. During the scuffle Brooks also stole Brosnan’s taser, which he then used on the officer, causing him to fall and strike his head on the pavement.
Brooks then attempted to flee the scene while firing the tasers second cartridge at Rolfe, who was pursuing him; at this point, Rolfe fatally shot Brooks, who later died at a nearby hospital.
The shooting sparked protests, and the Wendy’s where the incident took place was burned to the ground by rioters.
Police chief Erika Shields resigned one day after the shooting; that same day, Rolfe was fired and Brosnan was placed on administrative duty, which caused multiple officers on the force to call out sick in protest. Rolfe was charged with felony murder and ten other offenses; Brosnan with aggravated assault and two counts of violation of oath.
The case has yet to be indicted.chr
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