Atlanta Protesters Set Fire To Wendy's Where Rayshard Brooks Was Murdered

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

People all around the world are protesting against police brutality, and in response, the police are unjustly killing MORE Black men and women.

On top of the protests that were already happening every day following the murder of George Floyd, more demonstrations erupted in Atlanta this weekend following the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks by an Atlanta police officer.

Citizens of ATL took part in a peaceful protest on Saturday that shut down part of the Interstate 75/85 downtown connector, a major highway that runs through the city. While these calls for an end to police violence were completely peaceful throughout the day, as nighttime rolled around, people eventually set fire to a vehicle near the Wendy’s where Brooks was killed, which was followed by the inside of the Wendy’s being set ablaze as well.

Footage has surfaced of a white arsonist setting Wendy’s on fire.

This comes after Rayshard Brooks was involved in an altercation with Atlanta police in a Wendy’s parking lot on Friday night. He reportedly took an officer’s stun gun and attempted to run away; The officer shot Brooks after he appeared to point the taser at him while running away. Brooks was reportedly still alive in the parking lot when paramedics arrived but was later pronounced dead in the hospital.

Following the shooting, and prior to protests, Atlanta police chief Erika Shields stepped down from her position. The city’s mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, also called for the officer who shot Brooks to be fired immediately.

The two officers involved in his death have also been identified. Atlanta Police Spokesman Carlos Campos confirmed to ABC News early Sunday morning that the officer who shot Brooks has been fired. The officer has been identified as Garrett Rolfe. The other officer, Devin Bronsan, has been placed on administrative duty.