The global pandemic has not stopped Atlanta natives from wilding in those violent streets.
With two-thirds of the year over, the current citywide total of 101 homicides has already surpassed last year’s number. Thursday’s, (September 30th) two murders in Southeast Atlanta pushed the number over the 2019 mark.
According to the Atlanta-Journal Courier, this may be a result of a massive law enforcement “exodus.” There have been 37 Atlanta police officers to retire or resign in August alone. The number adds to the 26 that left the force in July.
This all seems to happen after the Police Chief resigned after Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed on her watch in June.
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Brooks had fallen asleep drunk in his car while being parked outside of a Wendy’s. Cops came to investigate the situation and made the questionable decision to arrest him so that he would not drive drunk.
Brooks resisted, insisting that he would never drive while intoxicated and offered to walk home. A tussle ensued and after the young father grabbed a Taser from one of the officers, he was shot and killed.
In addition to Chief Erika Shields stepping down, the officer in question, Garrett Rolfe, was fired. Many citizens demanded change, a request that resulted in days of protest.
Many officers felt unvalued, citing that Brooks tried to harm one of their own.
Both sides felt unheard. Mayor Lance Bottoms is stuck in the middle trying to honor both valuable members of the Atlanta community.
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Two things happened: the cries to defund Atlanta’s police force erupted and the backlash from the city’s local #BlueLivesMatter is showing what a city without the security of the law looks like.
The summer has been violent and with police officers leaving the force in such numbers, the question must be asked, “Will their departures leave open opportunities for criminals to get buck wild?”