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DeKalb Medical Examiner: Protestor killed at Atlanta Public Training Center had 57 gunshot wounds

Crime and public safety DeKalb County Trending

DeKalb Medical Examiner: Protestor killed at Atlanta Public Training Center had 57 gunshot wounds

Manuel "Tortugita" Teran(Gabe Eisen)
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This story has been updated. 

By Miles Montgomery, Atlanta News First

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The autopsy report on the death of a protestor at the future site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center has been released.

According to the DeKalb County Medical Examiner, the protestor, Manuel Teran, sustained at least 57 gunshot wounds. Their death has been ruled a homicide, according to a copy of the report provided to Decaturish. It’s unclear how many times Teran was shot.

Atlanta News First obtained a copy of the report from the family attorney of Teran.

“We are devastated to learn that our child, our sweet Manny, was mercilessly gunned down by police and suffered 57 bullet wounds all over their body,” said Manuel Paez Teran’s mother, Belkis Teran. “While the autopsy report provides additional information, it does not bring the family closer to the answers they seek.”

“We cannot even begin to determine what happened on the morning of January 18 until the GBI releases its investigation,” says family attorney Brian Spears.

Teran was killed at the site, which critics call “Cop City,” when Georgia State Patrol Troopers cleared the site on Jan. 18.

The future site of the Atlanta Public Training Center has been the center of controversy for many months. Critics and protesters claim the southwest Atlanta location of the so-called “Cop City” will lead to increased police brutality in Black communities surrounding the Weelaunee Forest and bring environmental destruction to ancestral lands.

The Atlanta City Council voted last September to lease the land to the Atlanta Police Foundation to build the 85-acre center. Activists and protestors say they would like to preserve the old Prison Farm site as a public green space.

Here is the full statement from Teran’s family:

Decatur, GA — Today, the DeKalb County Medical Examiner released the official autopsy for Manuel Paez Teran. “We are devastated to learn that our child, our sweet Manny, was mercilessly gunned down by police and suffered 57 bullet wounds all over their body,” said Manuel Paez Teran’s mother, Belkis Teran. While the autopsy report provides additional information, it does not bring the family closer to the answers they seek. “We cannot even begin to determine what happened on the morning of January 18 until the GBI releases its investigation,” says family attorney Brian Spears. His partner, attorney Jeff Filipovits, agreed. “There is no conceivable reason to continue to delay the release of its investigation,” says Filipovits, “only then can our clients and the community fully assess what happened in the moments leading up to Manuel’s death.”

The family continues to raise their concern that the GBI was involved in the planning and execution of the operation to clear the forest and simultaneously responsible for investigating Manuel’s death. “Manuel was camping on publicly owned land that was not even on the future site of Cop City. Law enforcement went in with weapons and shot pepper balls. They created a violent situation and were ready to kill anyone who resisted. Now they will not even meet with us to explain what happened.” said Manuel’s father, Joel Paez.

The family continues to seek the answers that have been withheld and urges the GBI to release its investigative report now, including forensic test findings, all audio and video recordings of the incident, and of the interviews with the officers involved in the shooting.

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About Spears & Filipovits, LLC

Spears & Filipovits LLC specializes in federal civil rights litigation. Attorneys Brian Spears and Jeff Filipovits routinely handle litigation concerning police misconduct, jail and prison conditions, and excessive force. The firm often partners with other attorneys who recognize the specific expertise needed to litigate these civil rights cases. Spears & Filipovits is committed to bringing the injustices of our criminal justice system to light and litigating cases throughout the State of Georgia to ensure that justice is available to all.

This story was provided by Decautrish media partner Atlanta News First