Current:Home > reviewsWhat we know about Atlanta man's death at hands of police -MoneySpot
What we know about Atlanta man's death at hands of police
View
Date:2025-04-16 23:49:01
The family of Johnny Hollman, the 62-year-old Atlanta man who died last month after he was shocked with a stun gun by a police officer, is planning a march Saturday, calling for the public release of body camera footage of the altercation.
"My father is a true son of Atlanta. He grew up in Bankhead Courts and he was respected throughout our community. As a family, we called for this March because the video should be released so Atlanta can truly be transparent," Arnitra Hollman, Hollman's daughter, said in a statement Friday. "We are asking for Atlanta to turn out for our family."
Earlier this month, Hollman's family was shown the body-worn camera footage of the interaction between Hollman and an Atlanta Police Department officer that occurred after Hollman was in a minor car accident.
After finishing bible study, Hollman was on his way home when he got into a minor car accident, according to his family.
MORE: Man charged with murder after killing his sister and 6-year-old niece in head-on car crash
Hollman called 911 and waited for over an hour for police to arrive, his family says. When officers arrived on the scene, they determined Hollman was at fault and issued him a traffic ticket, according to Atlanta police.
Hollman asked to see a sergeant, but the officer allegedly ignored him and told Hollman he would be taken to jail if he did not sign the ticket, according to the family.
Despite allegedly telling the officer he would sign the ticket, the officer grabbed him and took him to the ground and began using a stun gun on him, according to the family.
Hollman allegedly told the officer "I can't breathe" as many as 16 times, according to a statement from his family.
Hollman was later pronounced dead at Grady Hospital.
MORE: 'Whatever happened, they killed my dad': Daughter on father's deadly police encounter
Atlanta police say Hollman became "agitated and uncooperative" before the officer attempted to take him into custody.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also said amid the investigation into the car accident Hollman became "non-compliant" and the officer attempted to take him into custody.
"There was a physical struggle between Hollman and the officer. Hollman refused to comply with the officer's commands. The officer attempted to use a Taser as Hollman continued to resist arrest," GBI said in a statement last month.
Atlanta police said the officer struggled with Hollman for several minutes before using his stun gun and putting Hollman in handcuffs, with the help of a witness.
"After the officer took Hollman into custody, police determined that Hollman had become unresponsive. Police called EMS personnel, and Hollman was taken to a local hospital where he died," GBI said.
After Hollman's death, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens directed police to evaluate the interaction with Hollman and conduct a review of its operating procedures. The Atlanta Police Department updated its procedures regarding traffic citations, allowing officers to write "refusal to sign" in the signature line instead of making an arrest.
MORE: Brother of Utah mom accused of killing husband before writing book on grief speaks out
Officers will have a driver sign the citation to acknowledge receipt and gain awareness of the court date. Officers are to inform drivers that signing the citation is not an admission of guilt. If they continue to refuse, then the officer will write "refusal to sign" and issue a copy of the charges, instead of making a physical arrest.
Atlanta police said they will publicly share the results of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta Police Department's investigations into Hollman's death once they conclude.
veryGood! (8394)
Related
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Rescuers race against the clock as sea turtles recover after freezing temperatures
- Ingenuity, NASA's little Mars helicopter, ends historic mission after 72 flights
- Supreme Court is urged to rule Trump is ineligible to be president again because of the Jan. 6 riot
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- Congo rebel group kills at least 19 people in attack on eastern town
- Taylor Swift AI-generated explicit photos just tip of iceberg for threat of deepfakes
- Jannik Sinner ends 10-time champion Novak Djokovic’s unbeaten streak in Australian Open semifinals
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Father-daughter duo finds surprise success with TV channel airing only classics
Ranking
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- King Charles III Visits Kate Middleton as He Undergoes Procedure at Same Hospital
- Will Biden’s Temporary Pause of Gas Export Projects Win Back Young Voters?
- Stock market today: Wall Street inches modestly lower ahead of more earnings, inflation data
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- Jackie Robinson statue was stolen from a Kansas park
- Tattoo artist Kat Von D didn’t violate photographer’s copyright of Miles Davis portrait, jury says
- Iowa promised $75 million for school safety. Two shootings later, the money is largely unspent
Recommendation
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
Tumbling Chinese stocks and rapid Chipotle hiring
Scammers hacked doctors prescription accounts to get bonanza of illegal pills, prosecutors say
Elle King Reschedules More Shows After Dolly Parton Tribute Backlash
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
Regional Mexican music is crossing borders and going global. Here’s how it happened
Underground fire and power outage in downtown Baltimore snarls commute and closes courthouses
Teen Mom's Kailyn Lowry Shares First Photo of Her Twins