Cousin of Rayshard Brooks says he thought Atlanta was better than this

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In his best attempt to fight back his tears, one of Rayshard Brooks‘ family members thought a police officer shooting unarmed Black man would have never happened to one of his own.

The cousin of Brooks, a victim of a police shooting at a Wendy’s on University Ave. in Atlanta late Friday, spoke out how he never thought this would happen to his family, 11 Alive reported.

While the man did not identify his real name to reporters, he refers himself as Rayshard Brooks because, in his opinion, “that should be every black man’s name here in our city.”

“I don’t know how to do this, because I never knew I was going to have to do this,” Brooks’ cousin said. “I watched this on the internet, from the whole George Floyd situation to coming together like we’re doing, and this whole thing landed on my doorstep,” he said.

https://youtu.be/1nN3nfwP3rg

“I thought Atlanta was higher than that; I thought we were bigger than that,” he added.

Brooks’ cousin said he is protesting to spread awareness of Brooks’ untimely dismay. He told 11 Alive that he had seen many young Black men dying in vain, which motivates him to keep fighting for justice.

“You would think at this point, this would be over,” he said. “It seems like this is never gonna stop. I don’t want this on my doorstep like this. I’d rather be back behind that computer watching. I didn’t think it was going to hit right here.”

Brooks’ cousin mentioned getting lawyers involved.

Brooks was shot and killed by police after he failed a sobriety test at a Wendy’s drive-thru. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds, Brooks pointed a taser at the police, prompting one of them to shot him.

His death is sparking national attention, and it is getting comparisons to George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams is calling for better investigation.

Reynold said, although it appears that Brooks had a taser while fleeing the scene, the GBI has not “digitally enhanced that video yet,” according to USA Today.

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