Ex-Officer Garrett Rolfe. Image via the Fulton County, Ga. Jail.
Authorities in Atlanta have released a booking photo of Garrett Rolfe, one of two police officers facing criminal charges in the on-duty shooting of Rayshard Brooks. Brooks, who was black, was shot in the back by Rolfe, who is white. Rolfe was fired from the force after the shooting.
Rolfe turned himself in to the Fulton County, Ga. Jail Thursday afternoon, local reports say. A Thursday night deadline for Rolfe to submit to the authorities had been imposed by District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr., who on Wednesday announced that Rolfe would be charged with felony murder and a litany of other charges.
Jail records reviewed by Law&Crime say Rolfe was booked on eleven counts. They include one count of aggravated assault, four counts of aggravated assault with with a deadly weapon, one count of criminal damage to property in the first degree, one count of felony murder, and four counts of violation of an oath by a public officer. Rolfe, who is listed as standing 5′ 7″ tall and weighing 177 lbs., had not been released as of the time of this report.
Rolfe’s attorney, in a statement obtained by WSB-TV in Atlanta, accused Howard, the prosecutor, of acting “rashly” by filing charges which have “no legal basis” and of violating professional conduct rules by heightening the public’s condemnation of Rolfe.
“[N]ever in my career have I seen a District Attorney act so unethically without regard for his professional obligations in pursuit of reelection,” said the attorney. “Twice in the past few weeks Paul Howard has put his own ambitions ahead of the good of his constituents as he seeks to capitalize on a series of national tragedies.”
“Although we can all understand the grief of Mr. Brooks’ family, Officer Rolfe’s actions were justified by the law,” the attorney said. “But not every tragedy is a crime.”
The attorney also said Brooks committed at least five felonies on the police before he was shot.
Devin Brosnan, the other officer charges in the incident, turned himself into the jail earlier Thursday.
Devin Brosnan’s booking photo. Image via the Fulton County, Ga. Jail.
Reports say Brosnan relinquished himself to the authorities around 11:30 a.m. and was released on a signature bond less than two hours later. He and his attorney also on Thursday appeared on MSNBC to refute the criminal case against him.
Editor’s note: this report, which began as breaking news, has been updated.