A federal judge has dismissed a civil rights lawsuit brought by the parents of an environmental activist killed during a 2023 police raid connected to the controversial Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg ruled that the actions of Georgia state troopers were “objectively reasonable” under the circumstances, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The lawsuit stemmed from the Jan. 18, 2023, shooting death of Manuel Paez Terán, a 26-year-old activist known as “Tortuguita,” whose killing became a flashpoint in protests over the construction of Atlanta’s public safety training center, dubbed “Cop City” by opponents. The facility, located on forested land in DeKalb County, opened last year following months of demonstrations.
Paez Terán’s parents filed suit against three law enforcement officers, alleging they violated their child’s constitutional rights by using excessive force during a raid on protesters encamped near the construction site. According to the complaint, troopers fired pepper balls into the activist’s tent, prompting panic and gunfire. An autopsy commissioned by the family claimed Paez Terán was sitting cross-legged with their hands raised when they were struck more than a dozen times.
In his ruling, Grimberg found that Paez Terán had fired first, wounding a state trooper — a key factor in determining that the officers’ use of deadly force was justified. Grimberg also wrote that troopers acted within their authority when they deployed pepper balls after the activist failed to comply with orders to exit the tent.
Attorneys for Paez Terán’s parents said the family was “devastated” by the decision and is considering next steps. They also noted that records related to their child’s death have not been fully released.
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