ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta’s police chief on Tuesday fired an officer who shocked a 62-year-old Black church deacon with a stun gun during a dispute over a traffic ticket, leading to the man’s death.
Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Officer Kiran Kimbrough didn’t follow department procedures Aug. 10 when he didn’t wait until a supervisor arrived to arrest Johnny Hollman Sr. The chief said he made the decision to fire Kimbrough after an internal investigation concluded Monday.
“Part of my job is to assess, evaluate, and adjust how this police department is carrying out its sworn mission to serve and protect the citizens of this city,” Schierbaum said in a statement. “I understand the difficult and dangerous job that our officers do each and every day throughout the city. I do not arrive at these decisions lightly.”
Schierbaum’s decision comes days before video that Kimbrough’s body camera recorded of his interactions with Hollman could be released. Mawuli Davis, a lawyer for the Hollman family, said Monday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told him and relatives in a meeting that the video would be publicly released as soon as Willis concludes that all witnesses have been interviewed. That could be as soon as Thursday.
Kimbrough had been on administrative leave. Lance LoRusso, a lawyer representing Kimbrough, said he would comment on the case later Tuesday.
Kimbrough, who is Black, was hired as an Atlanta police cadet in March 2021 and became a police officer that October, according to Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council records. Those records show he had no disciplinary history.
Relatives of Hollman have seen the video and contend Kimbrough should be charged with murder. Davis said he expects any decision on criminal charges by Willis to take months.
Hollman became unresponsive while being arrested after a minor car crash. Relatives say…
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