Atlanta Police have released audio of the 911 call that led to officer Garrett Rolfe shooting and killing Rayshard Brooks. On Friday night, police were dispatched to a Wendys in Southwest Atlanta, after an employee alerted them that Brooks passed out in his car in the middle of the drive-thru line. After getting Brooks to move his car and administering a field sobriety test, the officers attempted to arrest Brooks, prompting a struggle in which Brooks took Rolfe’s taser and ran away pointing it at him. Rolfe then fatally shot Brooks twice in the back.
The 911 audio confirms details that have been reported of the incident. The caller tells police that Brooks is “parked dead in the middle of my drive-thru” and that she “tried to wake him up” and thinks “he’s intoxicated.” She also tells police that she believes Brooks is unarmed. While the caller sounds inconvenienced, she does not appear to feel threatened.
Since the incident, the APD has fired Rolfe and placed his partner Devin Brosnan on administrative leave. Brooks’ death, which occurred amidst large protests against police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd, has also inspired large demonstrations across Atlanta.
Check out the full 911 call below.