Two more Atlanta police officers were fired Wednesday over an incident in which two college students were pulled from a car in traffic during a large protest against police brutality, authorities said.
Sgt. Lonnie Hood and Officer Armon Jones were fired as a result of their involvement in the May 30 incident, police spokesman Sgt. John Chafee said in an email.
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Two more Atlanta police officers were fired Wednesday over an incident in which two college students were pulled from a car in traffic during a large protest against police brutality, authorities said.
Body camera footage shows a group of Atlanta police officers confronting 22-year-old Messiah Young and 20-year-old Taniyah Pilgrim in a car in downtown traffic caused by protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Video shows the officers shouting at the students, firing Tasers at them and dragging them from the car. Throughout the confrontation, the couple can be heard screaming and asking what they did wrong.
Jones is charged with aggravated battery for hurting Young’s left arm when he dragged him from the car and slammed him onto the street, a warrant says. He also is charged with pointing a gun at Young. Young suffered a fractured arm and a gash requiring two dozen stitches.
Willie Sauls is charged with aggravated assault for pointing a Taser at Pilgrim and with criminal damage for repeatedly hitting and damaging the driver’s side window of the car, according to warrants.
This photo provided by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office shows Roland Claud. Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. A prosecutor announced criminal charges, Tuesday, June 2 against six officers. Claud is charged with Criminal Damage. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
In this Saturday, May 30, 2020, photo taken from police body camera video released by the Atlanta Police Department, an officer points his handgun at Messiah Young while the college student is seated in his vehicle, in Atlanta. The following day, Atlanta's mayor two police officers were fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during the arrest of Young and fellow college student Taniyah Pilgrim, seated in the passenger side of the car. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)
In this Saturday, May 30, 2020, photo taken from police body camera video released by the Atlanta Police Department, an officer points his handgun at Messiah Young while the college student is seated in his vehicle, in Atlanta. The following day, Atlanta's mayor two police officers were fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during the arrest of Young and fellow college student Taniyah Pilgrim, seated in the passenger side of the car. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)
Attorney Mawuli Davis, left, speaks on behalf of Taniyah Pilgrim, center, and Messiah Young, right, during a press conference by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Monday, June 2, 2020. Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling the two young people from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd. (Alyssa PointerAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Taniyah Pilgrim speaks of her experience in a confrontation with Atlanta Police Officers during a press conference by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Monday, June 2, 2020. Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling Pilgrim and Messiah Young from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd. (Alyssa PointerAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Messiah Young speaks on his experience after being in a confrontation with Atlanta Police Officers during a press conference by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Monday, June 2, 2020. The confrontation left Young needing stitches in he's right arm. Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling Young and Taniyah Pilgrim from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd. (Alyssa PointerAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and police Chief Erika Shields previously announced the firing, less than 24 hours after the encounter, of two other officers who were involved. The four fired officers and two others face criminal charges stemming from the incident.
This photo provided by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office shows Armon Jones. Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. A prosecutor announced criminal charges, Tuesday, June 2 against six officers. Jones is charged with Aggravated Battery and Pointing or Aiming Pistol or Gun at Another. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Body camera footage shows a group of Atlanta police officers confronting 22-year-old Messiah Young and 20-year-old Taniyah Pilgrim in a car in downtown traffic caused by protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Video shows the officers shouting at the students, firing Tasers at them and dragging them from the car. Throughout the confrontation, the couple can be heard screaming and asking what they did wrong.
The two students are rising seniors at historically black colleges near downtown Atlanta, Young at Morehouse College and Pilgrim at Spelman College.
Hood is charged with aggravated assault against both Young and Pilgrim for using a Taser against both of them, an arrest warrant says. He is also charged with simple battery for violently pulling Pilgrim from the car and throwing her down on to the street, a warrant says.
This photo provided by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office shows Ivory Streeter. Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. A prosecutor announced criminal charges, Tuesday, June 2 against six officers. Streeter is charged with Aggravated Assault and Pointing or Aiming Pistol or Gun at Another. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Jones is charged with aggravated battery for hurting Young’s left arm when he dragged him from the car and slammed him onto the street, a warrant says. He also is charged with pointing a gun at Young. Young suffered a fractured arm and a gash requiring two dozen stitches.
The two officers who were previously fired — Investigator Ivory Streeter and Investigator Mark Gardner — filed a lawsuit Monday against the mayor and police chief alleging violations of their due process rights. Gardner and Streeter are each charged with aggravated assault for using their Tasers on the couple, arrest warrants say.
The other two officers facing charges remain on administrative leave, and the investigation remains open, Chafee said.
This photo provided by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office shows Mark Gardner. Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. A prosecutor announced criminal charges, Tuesday, June 2 against six officers. Gardner is charged with Aggravated Assault. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Willie Sauls is charged with aggravated assault for pointing a Taser at Pilgrim and with criminal damage for repeatedly hitting and damaging the driver’s side window of the car, according to warrants.
Roland Claud is charged with criminal damage for breaking the car’s window, a warrant says.
All of the charged officers are black except for Claud, who’s white. Atlanta Police Department sworn personnel is about 61% black, according to 2019 numbers provided by the department.
This photo provided by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office shows Willie Sauls. Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. A prosecutor announced criminal charges, Tuesday, June 2 against six officers. Sauls is charge with Aggravated Assault and Criminal Trespass. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
This photo provided by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office shows Roland Claud. Atlanta Chief Erika Shields fired two officers and benched three others involved in an incident with two college students during protests in the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020. A prosecutor announced criminal charges, Tuesday, June 2 against six officers. Claud is charged with Criminal Damage. (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
In this Saturday, May 30, 2020, photo taken from police body camera video released by the Atlanta Police Department, an officer points his handgun at Messiah Young while the college student is seated in his vehicle, in Atlanta. The following day, Atlanta's mayor two police officers were fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during the arrest of Young and fellow college student Taniyah Pilgrim, seated in the passenger side of the car. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)
In this Saturday, May 30, 2020, photo taken from police body camera video released by the Atlanta Police Department, an officer points his handgun at Messiah Young while the college student is seated in his vehicle, in Atlanta. The following day, Atlanta's mayor two police officers were fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during the arrest of Young and fellow college student Taniyah Pilgrim, seated in the passenger side of the car. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)
Attorney Mawuli Davis, left, speaks on behalf of Taniyah Pilgrim, center, and Messiah Young, right, during a press conference by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Monday, June 2, 2020. Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling the two young people from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd. (Alyssa PointerAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Taniyah Pilgrim speaks of her experience in a confrontation with Atlanta Police Officers during a press conference by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Monday, June 2, 2020. Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling Pilgrim and Messiah Young from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd. (Alyssa PointerAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
Messiah Young speaks on his experience after being in a confrontation with Atlanta Police Officers during a press conference by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Monday, June 2, 2020. The confrontation left Young needing stitches in he's right arm. Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling Young and Taniyah Pilgrim from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd. (Alyssa PointerAtlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)