GBI investigating after 62-year-old man dies in Atlanta Police custody
ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is reviewing an officer-involved use of force incident after a 62-year-old man became unresponsive while being taken into custody in Atlanta and later died.
Authorities say officers responded about 11:20 p.m. Thursday to an accident in southwest Atlanta for which Johnny Hollman was determined to be the at-fault driver, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Police said Hollman, of Atlanta, became agitated when officers tried to issue him a traffic citation and “became noncompliant” when they tried to take him into custody, the GBI said.
Hollman and the arresting officer were involved in a struggle, and the GBI said an officer used a Taser on him. Hollman was subsequently found to be unresponsive and was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Atlanta Police asked GBI on Friday to investigate Hollman’s death, the GBI said in a news release.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine a cause of death. Once the investigation is complete, the results will be turned over to the district attorney’s office for review.
Atlanta police told the newspaper the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave, as is standard policy.