On Wednesday, one of the rioters protesting the construction of an Atlanta Police Department training facility used a handgun to shoot a police officer. Police returned fire and killed the shooter. The police have now released a “photograph of a gun they allege is the weapon state investigators say was used by a protester camped near the so-called ‘Cop City’ training facility site to shoot a Georgia State Patrol trooper.”
The shooting occurred as police attempted to “sweep and clear the woods” near the construction site. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) says 26-year-old Manuel Esteban Paez Teran was the person who pulled the trigger of that gun. As reported, “Investigators say a forensic ballistic analysis confirms the remains of the bullet pulled from the trooper’s body during surgery on Wednesday afternoon was fired from the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm recovered at the scene.”
The GBI claimed “Teran opened fire after failing to comply with commands from members of the joint task force during the “clearing operation.” The GBI elaborated, adding that “Teran fired first. Other law enforcement officers at the scene then returned fire, killing Teran.”
Some of the facts that occurred after the shooting include that the injured trooper, (whose name has not been released), was shot in the “pelvic-area” and “he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. The officer was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital. He remains hospitalized as of Friday evening, recovering from his wound.”
On Friday evening, as reported, “a quiet memorial for Teran was held near the former site of Intrenchment Creek Park.” Dozens of people attended Friday evening’s service to pay respects for Teran, who fired the first shot and wounded the police officer.
One of the people at the memorial for Teran expressed frustration at what she considered to be the unnecessary violence and loss of life. “It feels so frustrating because none of this needed to happen,” said Rachel. “People can work together, and look for a solution that actually helps community, and that isn’t what’s been happening, and that’s how the violence could have been prevented.”