Current:Home > MarketsPolice officers won't face charges in fatal shooting of protester at 'Cop City' -WealthMindset
Police officers won't face charges in fatal shooting of protester at 'Cop City'
View
Date:2025-04-17 21:13:28
None of the Georgia State Police troopers involved in the fatal shooting of Manuel "Tortuguita" Teran will face charges, according to Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George R. Christian.
Teran, who used they/them pronouns, was shot and killed by police on Jan. 18 as officers raided campgrounds occupied by environmental demonstrators who had allegedly been camping out for months to protest the development of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, dubbed "Cop City" by critics.
According to an autopsy of Teran sent to ABC News, they did not have gunpowder residue on their hands. Officials claimed Teran fired the first shot at a state trooper. Officers then responded with gunfire.
In Friday's announcement that no charges would be filed, Christian wrote that Teran responded to officers firing "less lethal" pepperball rounds by "shooting four (4) times his 9 mm pistol through the tent striking and seriously injuring a Georgia State Trooper. Six Troopers returned fire resulting in the death of Teran."
"The use of lethal (deadly) force by the Georgia State Patrol was objectively reasonable under the circumstances of this case," Christian wrote. "No criminal charges will be brought against the Georgia State Patrol Troopers involved in the shooting of Manuel Perez Teran."
MORE: DeKalb County releases autopsy in 'Cop City' protester Manuel Teran's death
Teran had at least 57 gunshot wounds in their body, according to the autopsy, including in the hands, torso, legs and head.
An independent autopsy from the family found that Teran’s hands were raised during the fatal shooting, however, the DeKalb County autopsy stated, "There are too many variables with respect to movement of the decedent and the shooters to draw definitive conclusions concerning Mr. Teran's body position."
The DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office had ruled the death a homicide.
The Georgia Attorney General's Office is conducting its own investigation into the shooting.
ABC News' Jason Volack and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- Tito Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 co-founder, dies at 70
- Tito Jackson of The Jackson 5 Dead at 70
- Microsoft solves 365 outage that left thousands unable to access email, Teams, other apps
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- All 4 dead aboard plane after weekend crash near runway in rural Alaska
- Emmys 2024: See Sofía Vergara, Dylan Mulvaney and More at Star-Studded After-Parties
- 32 things we learned in NFL Week 2: Saints among biggest early-season surprises
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- Social media is wondering why Emmys left Matthew Perry out of In Memoriam tribute
Ranking
- Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
- Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA rookie scoring record, Fever star now at 761 points
- Betting on elections threatens confidence in voting and should be banned, US agency says
- An American pastor detained in China for nearly 20 years has been released
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Disney Launches 2024 Holiday Pajamas: Sleigh the Season With Cozy New Styles for the Family
- Judge rejects former Trump aide Mark Meadows’ bid to move Arizona election case to federal court
- Below Deck Sailing Yacht Exes Daisy Kelliher and Gary King Have Explosive Reunion in Season 5 Trailer
Recommendation
Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
2 officers hospitalized, suspect dead after pursuit and shootout in Des Moines, Iowa, police say
Lutherans in Walz’s Minnesota put potlucks before politics during divisive election season
Target brings back popular car seat-trade in program: How you can get the discount
Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
Anna Kendrick Says A Simple Favor Director Paul Feig Made Sequel “Even Crazier”
Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause Undergoes Surgery After “Vintage” Breast Implants Rupture
Tire breaks off car, flies into oncoming traffic, killing Colorado motorcyclist