T.I. and Killer Mike, two men who’ve been vocal in demands for justice in not only the death of George Floyd but that of Breonna Taylor in Lousiville, Kentucky and countless others, took to Instagram to voice their frustrations after a Black man was shot and killed by Atlanta police on Friday (June 12).
“Won’t post that video because I believe a part of us dies every time we watch it… but understand this. I AM NOT CONDONING ANY INJUSTICE towards OUR PEOPLE!!” T.I. wrote. “Been gathering facts & working on solutions since last night… THIS AIN’T THE ATLANTA I KNOW!! We demand JUSTICE!!”
Killer Mike echoed T.I.’s sentiments. “#RayshardBrooks should be alive this morning,” he wrote on Instagram. “He should be waking up (hungover or drunk in the tank depending on whether he was apprehended) and not dead. I am mad as hell and saddened beyond consolation.”
Both rappers have been vocal about Atlanta police and the community-at-large in the wake of recent protests and riots in May 2020. On May 29, the two appeared along with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to deliver an impassioned plea for Atlantians to not destroy the city.
AD LOADING...
Killer Mike Tears Up Addressing Atlanta Riots: 'It's Your Duty Not To Burn Your Own House Down'
The fatal shooting was captured on cellphone video and shared on social media.
Per the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, officers were called to the restaurant located on University Avenue after receiving a complaint about a man asleep in his vehicle, prompting other customers to go around him to get their food at the window. The man, identified as Brooks, was given a field sobriety test which he failed according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Brooks reportedly struggled with officers after they attempted to arrest him. He was seen on video running away from the police when officers fired, striking him in the back. He died at the hospital.
AD LOADING...
Following the shooting, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned on Saturday (June 13) and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms called for the officer who shot and killed Brooks to be fired.
News of Brooks’ death and the video spread along social media as many woke up to the news and gave their reactions.
