Current:Home > MyPolice officers won't face charges in fatal shooting of protester at 'Cop City' -RiseUp Capital Academy
Police officers won't face charges in fatal shooting of protester at 'Cop City'
View
Date:2025-04-17 23:08:36
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! (34)
Related
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Powerball winning numbers for September 30: Jackpot rises to $258 million
- Will anyone hit 74 homers? Even Aaron Judge thinks MLB season record is ‘a little untouchable’
- Pennsylvania county manager sued over plans to end use of drop boxes for mail-in ballots
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- US job openings rise to 8 million as labor market remains sturdy
- Sydney Sweeney's Expert Tips to Upgrade Your Guy's Grooming Routine
- Officials warned electric vehicles can catch fire in Helene flooding: What to know
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Will anyone hit 74 homers? Even Aaron Judge thinks MLB season record is ‘a little untouchable’
Ranking
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Liberty, Aces are at the top of the WNBA. Which teams could unseat them?
- John Amos, Star of Good Times and Roots, Dead at 84
- 13-year-old Michigan girl charged with murder in stabbing death of younger sister
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Dating today is a dumpster fire. Here’s a guide to viral toxic terms.
- Hurricane Helene’s victims include first responders who died helping others
- Frank Fritz, the 'bearded charmer' of 'American Pickers,' dies 2 years after stroke
Recommendation
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
Horoscopes Today, September 29, 2024
US sanctions extremist West Bank settler group for violence against Palestinians
Harris will tour Helene devastation in Georgia, North Carolina as storm scrambles campaign schedule
Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
Let All Naysayers Know: Jalen Milroe silences critics questioning quarterback ability
Helene's flooding flattens Chimney Rock, NC: 'Everything along the river is gone'
Tough choices on Hawaii’s prisons and jails lie ahead, official says