Washington (AFP) - A white Atlanta police officer who is facing murder charges for the shooting death of a Black man last year was ordered reinstated to the force on Wednesday by a city oversight board.
Garrett Rolfe, a seven-year veteran of the Atlanta police department, shot Rayshard Brooks, 27, on June 12, 2020 in a fast food restaurant parking lot.
Brooks had grabbed a police officer's Taser but dash camera footage showed him running away when he was shot twice in the back by Rolfe.
Rolfe was fired from the police force immediately after the shooting and faces multiple charges including felony murder.
Atlanta's Civil Service Board determined, however, that Rolfe should be reinstated because he did not receive the required 10-day notice of termination.
He will remain on administrative leave pending his trial.
The shooting came two weeks after George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died while being arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Floyd's death sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the United States.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges last month in connection with Floyd's death.
