GBI Forensics Probe Released In Activist's Shooting Death: Report

EAST ATLANTA, GA — An activist accused of shooting a Georgia state trooper during a Jan. 18 joint task force clearing operation had "particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue" on their hands, according to a forensics report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation report was taken five days after environmentalist Manuel Esteban Paez Teran — who used they/their pronouns and was known as Tortuguita — was shot and killed by authorities during the clearing operation at the future site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, known to protesters as "Cop City."

At the time, the GBI identified Teran as the person who shot a trooper during the operation.

According to the Jan. 23 forensics report, the presence of the residue particles support "the possibility that the individual discharged a firearm, was in close proximity to a firearm upon discharge or came into contact with an item whose surface bears (gunshot primer residue)."

The forensics report stated victims of gunshot wounds, both self-inflicted and not self-inflicted, can have gunshot primer residue on their hands.

The AJC reported gunpowder may not always be visible to the eye.

According to forensics, "particles that are characteristic of GSR are single, discrete, microscopic particles, molten in morphology, that contain the elements lead, barium and antimony. Such particles are residue from a detonated primer of a discharged firearm."

Attorneys for Teran's family sent Patch on April 19 a copy of an autopsy report from the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office. According to the autopsy, "soot, stippling, searing and gunpowder residue" were not found on Teran's clothing or around any of the gunshot wounds.

The "Stop Cop City" activist was shot at least 57 times before dying. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death was homicide, according to the autopsy.

According to the report, Teran was shot in several places on their body including their head, right eye, chest and abdomen, hands, right foot, left pelvis and right thigh/hip.

Intact projectiles and fragments were recovered from 14 of the wound tracks and Teran's clothing, according to the report. They were sent to the Georgia State Crime Laboratory for analysis.