Slain Activist's Family Responds To No Charges Against GA Troopers

EAST ATLANTA, GA — The family of Manuel Paez Teran is demanding the release of evidence after news broke Friday that six Georgia State Patrol troopers will not be charged in the shooting death of the "Stop Cop City" activist.

Teran, 26, was accused of shooting and injuring a trooper during a Jan. 18 clearing operation at the future site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which has been at the forefront of a violent battle between environmentalists and local authorities.

Troopers returned fire, shooting and killing Teran, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and a 31-page report from the Stone Mountain Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

Patch has obtained a copy of the report, which details the day's events and was signed by District Attorney Pro Tempore George Christian.

"The report is a rubber stamp of the GBI’s version of events without any critical analysis," said
Attorney Brian Spears of the Decatur-based Spears and Filipovits law firm, which represents Teran's family in a lawsuit against the City of Atlanta.

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

The GSP was part of a joint task force operation to clear people from the site of the training center, which is known to protesters as "Cop City."

The proposed site for the training center is located near Constitution and Key roads. The property will sit on land that spans 385 acres and is owned by the City of Atlanta near Intrenchment Creek, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in the past.

Protesters have been clashing with police over the training center's construction and vying to protect the forest on the land. The protests turned deadly the day of the clearing operation.

RELATED: Bodycam Footage Released In Shooting Of Georgia State Trooper

The district attorney's office said Teran, who used they/their pronouns and was known as Tortuguita, refused to comply with commands to exit their tent.

Troopers fired pepper balls into Teran's tent as a less-lethal approach, and Teran was then accused of shooting a 9 mm pistol four times through the tent.

Subsequently, six troopers shot back, hitting Teran and killing them, the district attorney's office said.

"The use of lethal (deadly) force by the Georgia State Patrol was objectively reasonable under the circumstances of this case," the district attorney's office said in a news release, adding no criminal charges will be filed against the troopers.

An autopsy report released on April 19 by the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office stated Teran was shot at least 57 times before dying.

RELATED: Private Autopsy Results Released In 'Stop Cop City' Activist's Death

“If there is nothing to hide, then show us the evidence,” Attorney Jeff Filipovits said in a news release.

“We were told that once the DA’s report was released, the GBI would release all of the underlying evidence. But now, the district attorney has stated that his office will not produce the underlying evidence.”

The law firm contends photographs, audio witness interviews, crime scene drawings and reports, forensic lab reports and body camera audio and video — all on which the district attorney's report was based — have not been provided to Teran's family.

The family attorneys maintain there is no further justification for not releasing the investigative file to Teran's family. Teran's mother, Belkis, said after eight months, the family is still hurting.

"We have waited eight months for the truth," she said. "We are in pain. We want to hear the interviews. We want our experts to review the lab tests. We want our questions answered. This report does not answer our questions. How long must we wait?"

The Georgia State Patrol declined Patch's request for comment.

What the DA's Report Says

According to the district attorney's report, the protesters trespassed on the DeKalb County property and both disrupted and intimidated contractors working at the site.

The report said all local and state authorities participating in the clearing operation were warned that people at the site could have guns, mentioning that on one occasion, authorities were confronted by someone with a pistol and a rifle at the site.

RELATED: Intrenchment Creek Clearing Operation Held After Hidden Traps Found

"Warnings were provided about explosive devices that were found on the property along with traps and trips on the pathways. Participating law enforcement members were also made aware that individuals had thrown rocks and fireworks at law enforcement in the past," the report stated.

Authorities were divided into two teams, one of which was assigned to areas near Key Road where they encountered Teran. Prior to approaching Teran, the report said authorities had removed three people without incident.

Two troopers who were first on the scene reported seeing movement inside of Teran's tent upon approaching. They identified themselves and gave Teran commands to exit the tent, commands the troopers said Teran ignored before zipping the tent's door flap.

Still asking Teran to leave the tent, troopers reported asking for someone to bring a pepper ball launcher to the tent.

"(A trooper) saw Teran partially unzip the top of the tent, look at the troopers, and say, 'No, I want you to leave.' Teran then (closed the tent). (A trooper) equipped with a pepper ball launcher, began firing pepper balls into the tent, after having first warned Teran that such less lethal device would be used if he did not come out of the tent," the report stated.

Seconds after the launcher was used, the report said Teran fired at the troopers from inside the tent.

RELATED: ATL Training Center: 61 Indicted, Accused Of Violence

"(A trooper) saw a muzzle flash from inside the tent and heard bullets 'cracking' past him.' ... (The trooper) had no doubt that Teran was shooting at him and the other troopers. (The trooper) believed that he was going to be shot and killed," the report stated.

After Teran was accused of using an "improvised explosive device," the trooper shot a rifle into the tent before pausing to further assess the situation.

"After not seeing any movement in the tent, or hearing additional gun fire or explosions, (the trooper) looked around and saw (another trooper) lying on the ground, having been shot by Teran," the report stated.

The trooper assisted with rendering aid to the injured trooper.

Other troopers gave similar reports in detailing the alleged shootout between authorities and Teran.

"(A trooper) joined other troopers and approached the tent behind a ballistic shield. The tent was opened and (the trooper) could see Teran lying on the tent floor, and he saw a holster nearby. (The trooper) heard another trooper say 'weapon secure.' This meant that another trooper had located a weapon inside the tent," the report stated.

Bodycam Footage

Atlanta Police began releasing body cam footage of the shooting's aftermath, but Teran's family attorney said the GBI has blocked the department from releasing any further video clips relating to the shooting.

RELATED: Protest Over Death Of Activist At 'Cop City' Turns Violent In Atlanta

Attorney Wingo Smith said the FBI sent a letter to Atlanta Police requesting that the department stop releasing videos related to the shooting.

Smith said Attorney General Chris Carr's office also wrote a letter to the city advising the department did not have to release the records to Teran's family.

Both letters are referenced in a lawsuit filed by Teran's family.