Fired Atlanta Police Officer Charged With Felony Murder in Death of Rayshard Brooks

Rayshard Brooks speaking with Officer Garrett Rolfe as Rolfe writes notes during a field sobriety test in the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant, in Atlanta, Ga., on June 12, 2020. Atlanta Police Department via AP

Garret Rolfe, a former Atlanta Police officer, was charged Wednesday with 11 counts, including felony murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, in the slaying of Rayshard Brooks.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced that Brooks’s cooperative demeanor before the arrest attempt played a role in the decision to charge Rolfe. He suggested that Brooks didn’t appear to present a threat.