Gilmer Sheriff Tries To Take Back Facebook Shot At Atlanta Mayor

ELLIJAY, GA — Gilmer County’s sheriff took a shot via social media Saturday at Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. By Wednesday, he was trying to take it back.

The shot was a comment made under a Facebook post showing a meme of a revolver with the barrel pointed backward toward the shooter. Its caption: “S&W finally made a revolver for liberals!”

Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson’s comment under it: “Perfect for mayor bottoms when all APD walk away.”

WXIA-TV reported that Nicholson posted his comment on June 13, just after Bottoms recommended firing an Atlanta Police officer involved in the death of a man found asleep in his car in a Wendy’s drive-thru. Rayshard Brooks was shot dead after snatching a taser from a police officer, leading to more unrest in a city already on edge after the death of George Floyd.

Describing his post as “reckless,” Nicholson said in a statement to WXIA-TV that “Under no circumstances do I wish anyone to purposely or accidentally harm themselves.”

Nicholson attributed his comment to a “level of frustration that law enforcement officers, I believe, are feeling nationwide.”

At least eight officers have resigned from the Atlanta Police force since June 1, according to 11Alive.

"I would suspect that a very high percentage of law enforcement officers do not condone under any circumstances, incidents of excessive use of force to any degree. However, they do desire the backing of the leaders of their jurisdictions to do their jobs," Nicholson wrote in his statement to WXIA-TV.

Nicholson added that his Facebook comment did not reflect his normal level of “professionalism” or the “pride that I take in my profession.”

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