Johnny Hollman, a church deacon, died after being tased by Atlanta police officer Kiran Kimbrough following a physical altercation on August 10. According to 11Alive, the Atlanta Police Department fired Kimbrough on Tuesday after an inquiry revealed he failed to “follow the department’s standard operating procedures” during the contact that night.
Hollman, a deacon at The Lively Stones of God Ministries Church of Atlanta, called police on August 10 to report an accident in which he had been engaged. Kimbrough, who attended to the accident scene, then attempted to issue a citation to the deceased 62-year-old after determining he was the cause of the collision. Hollman, though, declined to sign the citation.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, when Kimbrough later attempted to arrest Hollman, the murdered victim became “non-compliant” and refused to be brought into custody. Following that, a taser was discharged.
Atlanta police initially stated that the fight between Hollman and Kimbrough lasted “several minutes.” After the struggle, Hollman became unresponsive and was brought to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The 62-year-old died as a result of cardiac dysrhythmia caused by the tasing.
Besides “failing to follow the department’s standard operating procedures”, the Atlanta Police Department also said Kimbrough “violated standard operating procedure when he failed to have a supervisor on the scene prior to proceeding with the physical arrest after Mr. Hollman failed to sign the citation.”
“Every single person and life in the City of Atlanta matters to me,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. “Part of my job is to assess, evaluate, and adjust how this police department is carrying out its sworn mission to serve and protect the citizens of this city. I understand the difficult and dangerous job that our officers do each and every day throughout the city. I do not arrive at these decisions lightly. Only after a diligent review of all of the facts, while ensuring the due process of our officers, do I arrive at my decision.”
However, Hollman’s family expressed their anger with Kimbrough’s dismissal at a press conference, according to 11Alive. Anitra Hollman, the deceased deacon’s daughter, first claimed that her father contacted her during his fight with Kimbrough, adding that she heard her father say he couldn’t breathe during the struggle.
“We don’t want him to work at another police department,” Anitra said. “Yes, we want him prosecuted. Yes, we want him in jail.”
Despite the fact that Hollman’s family has watched the body-camera footage of the incident, they have demanded that it be disseminated. In an early statement, the Atlanta Police Department stated that “investigative bodies have directed the City not to release until the investigation is closed, as well as a pending administrative investigation.”
“What justice looks like is the prosecution of this officer for crimes he committed against Deacon Hollman,” the attorney representing Hollman’s family, Mawuli Davis, said. “What we saw was murder, we saw an assault against a 62-year-old man who was literally pleading for his life, informing the officer that he could not breathe, informing him of his medical condition and that he was having issues with asthma. And, the officer with malicious intent continued to strike and tase.”
Kimbrough’s attorneys also responded to his termination, saying that he plans to file an appeal. “Officer K. Kimbrough vehemently denies any wrongdoing or policy violations in connection with the investigation, detention, and arrest of Mr. Johnny Hollman. He will appeal his termination reportedly predicated upon his failure to call for a supervisor when Mr. Hollman refused to sign a lawfully issued citation as he was legally obligated to do,” the statement said.
“Our client is a decorated law enforcement officer and looks forward to the release of the entire investigation. The loss of any life is tragic. However, Officer Kimbrough’s actions in detaining Mr. Hollman and making a lawful arrest did not cause Mr. Hollman’s death.”