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2 Atlanta Cops Fired After College Students Violently Arrested On Live TV
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Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said two police officers were fired Saturday and three placed on desk duty after using “excessive force” in the arrest of two college students.
Updates on protests in Atlanta https://t.co/k77vQqzfdS— Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) May 31, 2020
The incident happened Saturday night during a protest after demonstrators resisted a 9 p.m. curfew for the city of Atlanta.
APD tazed them on live TV pic.twitter.com/IaCvlhxxem— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) May 31, 2020
In a viral video, police officers surrounded a car being driven by Morehouse College student Messiah Young. Spelman College student Taniyah Pilgrim was in the passenger seat.
WATCH: RAW Body Camera Footage From Fired Atlanta Officer After Live TV Arrest Of College Students
The officers pulled Pilgrim out and used a Taser on Young.
Officers arrested the couple.
Pilgrim was released from custody shortly after midnight. Charges against her have been dropped. Young suffered an epileptic seizure last night, according to Spelman College Student Government Association.
Bottoms said he has been released and she’s working on dropping charges against him.
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Atlanta police Chief Erika Shields said the video was shocking to watch.
“I apologize to both of the individuals [one Spelman student and one Morehouse student,]” Shields said.
Officials have not said what prompted the incident. A Gofundme fundraiser was set up for the couple's bail. Donors have raised $99,029 as of Sunday evening.
The city remains under curfew until sunrise Monday.
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