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Manuel “Tortugita” Teran

Gender : Nonbinary

Age : 26

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 01/18/2023

Location : Cop City Welaunee Forest, Moreland Ave + Constitutional Rd

City : Atlanta

County : DeKalb

State : Georgia

Agency : Georgia State Patrol, DeKalb County SO, Atlanta PD

Officer(s) :Mark Lamb, Jonathan Salcedo, Bryland Myers, Ronaldo Kegel, Royce Zah and Jerry Parrish

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police while camping in forest

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

Tortugita was camping in Weelaunee Forest, the contested site outside of Atlanta where the large“Cop City” training facility is being built. On 01/18/2023, a militarized response by Atlanta police and SWAT arrived and executed Tortugita in his tent. An officer was shot in the abdomen and Tortugita was blamed for firing shots which eyewitnesses vehemently denied. When a BWC video was released later, an officer is overheard commenting that the officer who was shot was likely shot by police friendly fire, not Tortugita as had been claimed by police. Additionally, private autopsy conducted by the family revealed that Tortugita had been shot through both hands as he held them up defensively, speaking against the police claim that he was holding and firing a gun when shot.No officers were charged. The police investigation has been unforthcoming in transparency and accountability.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2023-02-09/gbi-investigates-officer-involved-shooting-following-multi-agency

https://www.wsbradio.com/news/local/georgia-trooper-shot-during-active-incident-near-proposed-training-facility/BHWBVGD5GFBKFNVVJFLJLDVMKY/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cop-city-officer-shot-shooter-killed-atlanta-public-safety-training-center/

https://decaturish.com/2023/01/report-georgia-state-trooper-shot-near-cop-city/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/01/18/georgia-trooper-shot-man-killed-proposed-atlanta-police-site/11077432002/

https://www.wabe.org/7-charged-with-domestic-terrorism-after-police-training-site-shootout-person-killed-identified/

https://decaturish.com/2023/01/gbi-provides-evidence-that-activist-purchased-firearm-allegedly-used-to-shoot-state-trooper-near-cop-city-site/

https://www.ecowatch.com/atlanta-forest-defender-killed.html

https://newschannel9.com/news/local/police-video-from-cop-city-operation-in-atlanta-doesnt-show-shooting-protesters-body-camera-public-safety-training-center-manuel-esteban-paez-teran-tortuguita-gbi-forest-defenders

https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/02/09/police-video-cop-city-operation-doesnt-show-shooting