Manuel Paez Terán
Police officers shoot Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, also known as “Tortuguita” on January 18, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Páez Terán was one of a small group of “forest defenders” who camped in a forest park to protest the planned construction of a police training center. Dozens of police officers from various agencies rushed into the park to break up the protesting activists’ camp. According to police, Paez first fired a gun at a state trooper and wounded him, then six police officers shot the activist. Paez suffered 57 gunshot wounds and died almost instantly. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said the shooting was not captured on a body camera, prompting activists and the family of the slain man to call for an outside organization to review the case. The state of Georgia refuses to release evidence related to the shooting and killing of the activist.
On October 2023, district prosecutor George Christian released a 31-page report stating that the January 18 shooting of Manuel Paez Teran was “objectively reasonable.” Paez’s family has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to release all audio and video footage related to his murder to help the family piece together what happened on the morning of January 18.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
“Georgia refuses to release evidence from police shooting of Cop City activist. Experts say decision not to make evidence available to family of Manuel Paez Terán or public sets ‘frightening’ precedent.”
CASE STATUS:
The initiative group has requested the clarification from US President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The initiative group believes it is important to fight against law enforcement negligence and, if necessary, will provide legal and financial assistance to the family of the victim.
