By Ivan Pereira
The Atlanta Police Department released new information regarding the two officers involved in the arrest that led to Rayshard Brooks’ death last week, along with the 911 call that led them to the Wendy’s parking lot.
Officer Garret Rolfe, who fatally shot Brooks, 27, had prior disciplinary investigations some of which stemmed from civilian complaints and use of force.
Rolfe has been terminated from the police force. Devin Brosnan, who was the first officer on scene, was placed on administrative duty while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducts its probe into the June 12 shooting.
Rolfe, who was a six year veteran of the force, had 11 incidents that were reviewed before last week, three of which resulted in disciplinary action, the records show.
The records released by police give the form of the complaint and whether there was any discipline or action taken against the officer, but do not give specific details of each case.
In his time with the Atlanta Police Department, records show Rolfe received an “oral admonishment” for a vehicle accident in October 2014, a use of force violation involving the use of a firearm in September 2016 that resulted in a written reprimand and a written reprimand for a vehicle accident in August 2018.
According to the police records, there was also an incident in August 2015 where Rolfe discharged his weapon, but no action was taken against him.
Brosnan, who has been on the force for a year, did not have any disciplinary review on his record before the shooting, according to the records released by the police.
The police were called in after a 911 call from an employee at an Atlanta Wendy’s who told the operator a man, who later turned out to be Brooks, was asleep at the wheel and parked in the drive-thru, according to the 911 audio released by the police.
“I tried to wake him up, but he’s parked dead in the middle of the drive-thru. So I don’t know what is wrong with him,” the caller said.
The caller told the operator that other cars had to drive around Brooks’ car to get out of the Wendy’s parking lot.
“He woke up, looked at me and I was like, ‘You gotta move out the drive-thru because people can’t.’ They’re going around him just right there,” the caller said.
Brosnan was the first officer who arrived at the scene and the incident was recorded on his body camera and police vehicle dashboard camera.
In police body camera footage that has been released, Brooks is seen calmly speaking with Brosnan after the officer woke him up and questioned him.
“I can just go home. My daughters are there right now. My daughter’s birthday was yesterday,” Brooks told Brosnan in the video.
A short time later, Rolfe arrived on scene after Brosnan suspected Brooks may have been under the influence of alcohol.
The officers administered a Breathalyzer to Brooks, according to the body camera footage, and it registered a blood-alcohol level of .108%, which is above the legal limit of .08%.
As officers attempted to put Brooks in handcuffs, a struggle ensued and he got a hold of one of the officers’ stun guns, according to the video and investigators. A surveillance video from the scene showed Brooks running away with the stun gun in his hand. Brooks turned and allegedly shot the stun gun at Rolfe, who drew his service weapon from his holster and opened fire, according to the video.
Brooks was taken to a local hospital, where he died after emergency surgery, according to investigators.
Neither officer has been criminally charged in connection with the incident. The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is currently investigating the case.
Brooks’ shooting came weeks after George Floyd was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis and subsequent protests around the world calling for police reform.
Since the incident, Atlanta police chief Erika Shields resigned from her position and multiple protests have taken place in the city.
