An Atlanta police officer has been indicted after he fatally shot a teenager who stole his unmarked car at a gas station in 2019.
Oliver Simmonds, who spent time on security derail for former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, has been charged with murder after fatally shooting 18-year-old D’Ettrick Griffin following the “slider” theft at a Shell station in southwest Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
A Fulton County grand jury indicted Simmonds Friday on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, and two counts of violating his oath, court records show. He is the latest police officer criminally charged amid District Attorney Fani Willis efforts to work through a backlog of use-of-force cases.
Simmonds was off-duty and not wearing his uniform when he stopped to get gas on Jan. 15, 2019, authorities said. Griffin jumped into the officer’s driver’s seat while he pumped the gas, a form of theft known as a slider crime.
It’s unclear if he knew he was taking a police car.
The teen began to drive off, and Simmonds tried to stop him, the GBI confirmed. At some point, the officer fired multiple shots at the suspect, investigators said. The car traveled a short distance before crashing into two parked vehicles. Griffin, who was unarmed, died inside.
Simmonds joined the police department in April 2010 and suffered a minor injury to his foot when he was allegedly run over during the encounter, authorities said. The teen’s death reignited a debate over when, or even if, officers should fire at a fleeing vehicle.
Atlanta Police Department has a policy that prohibits officers from discharging their weapons at fleeing vehicles but carves out a broad exception that allows a “reasonable and necessary” use of force.
Griffin’s family believes the officer used excessive force and is happy over his indictment .
“Oh, this is what I prayed for,” his mother, Gaysha Glover, told Channel 2 Action News.
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