Officers won't face charges for shooting anti-'Cop City' militant who shot Georgia state trooper in the gut



Police encountered a leftist militant earlier this year who had taken a forward operating position near the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in DeKalb County's South River Forest, which radicals have dubbed "Cop City." Rather than comply with officers' lawful orders, the militant opened fire, striking a Georgia state trooper in the gut.

For crossing the blue line, 26-year-old Manuel Esteban Paez Teran paid the price.

On Friday, the special prosecutor tasked with investigating the shooting indicated that no criminal charges will be brought against the Georgia State Patrol troopers involved in the Venezuelan's demise.

The shooting

Leftist groups have long campaigned against the construction of the new $90 million police training center in Dekalb County's South River Forest, employing terroristic tactics to get their way.

Militants have conducted firebombings on police officers and law enforcement offices; attacks on firefighters and medics; sabotage on construction equipment; and intimidation efforts at the home of at least one state trooper.

In response this violent campaign, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a joint operation on Jan. 18 near the future training center in order to "identify people who are trespassing and committing other crimes on the property," according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

In his 31-page report released Friday, Mountain Circuit District Attorney Pro Tempore George R. Christian noted the operation comprised two teams, the second of which included GSP SWAT team members, GBI special agents, Atlanta Police Department officers, and K-9 units.

This second team, assigned to an area known as RC Park, cleared a barricade and entered a wooded area, where they removed three individuals without incident. After dealing with the initial group of trespassers, officers encountered Teran.

Teran, a radical who used "they/it" pronouns, was in his tent with the flap closed when troopers arrived. The troopers present at the time of the shooting were Mark Lamb, Jonathan Salcedo, Bryland Myers, Ronaldo Kegel, Royce Zah, and Jerry Parrish.

According to the prosecutor, the troopers clearly identified themselves as members of law enforcement — a fact also clear from the unmistakable markings on their uniforms. Teran reportedly refused to leave, prompting troopers to use nonlethal pepper ball rounds.

In response to the nonlethal rounds, "Teran began firing from inside the tent at the Troopers," wrote Christian.

It appears from the report that Teran fired at least four shots. One of those bullets struck Parrish "in the body below his armor plate and above his belt on his right side" and ended up "lodged adjacent to his spine."

Having been forewarned of possible improvised explosive devices in the area, hearing the gunshots, and figuring at least one of their fellow officers for wounded or worse, the troopers — including Parrish — returned fire. They managed to hit Teran at least 57 times.

Investigators found a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm, 90 rounds of handgun ammunition, foreign currency, a Venezuelan passport, an Industrial Workers of the World membership card, a Florida driver's license, and a Panamanian ID card in Teran's tent.

The reaction

In the aftermath of the shooting, leftist groups called for retaliation.

TheBlaze previously reported that in one post on the website "Scenes from the Atlanta Forest," leftists noted, "An unnamed forest defender has been shot and killed in Weelaunee. Consider this a call for reciprocal violence to be done to the police and their allies. On Friday, January 20th, wherever you are, you are invited to participate in a night of rage in order to honor the memory of our fallen comrade. ... Make them pay."

Various radicals took to the streets in the days that followed, including Jared Dowell, the son of House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.).

A nonprofit founded by twice-failed gubernatorial candidate and election denier Stacey Abrams sided with the extremists, demanding "justice" for Teran, who went by "Tortuguita."

According to the special prosecutor, justice had already been served on Jan. 18.

Justified

Christian wrote that in light of "the severity of the crimes of Aggravated Assault, Felony Obstruction and Hindering, Attempted Murder, and Possession of a Firearm During commission of these crimes that were committed by Teran, Teran was an immediate threat to Lamb and his fellow Troopers."

"Looking at the totality of the circumstances, the use of lethal (deadly) force was objectively reasonable and Trooper Lamb did not act with any criminal intent," added Christian.

The prosecutor reached the same conclusion for all other troopers involved, indicating no criminal charges will be brought against them as they "did not commit any criminal offense."

Unhappy leftists

Reuters reported that Brian Spears, an attorney for Teran's family, said that the family is disappointed by Christian's decision, urging officials to release the full report.

"Release the file now. No more excuses," said Joel Paez, Teran's father, reported WSB-TV.

The GBI indicated in a statement that requests for records in this case will be denied until that time the criminal investigation and prosecution by the state of Georgia and Attorney General's Office are no longer pending.

Teran's mother responded to the results of the investigation, saying, "No matter how the case is resolved, nothing will bring Manuel back. ... For me, justice would be for people to follow Manuel's example," reported the Guardian.

The Vote to Stop Cop City campaign issued a statement on X, saying, "The state's response to Tortuguita's murder has been to lie and cover up the facts. Today's announcement is just the latest in a long line of changing stories and withholding evidence. Tortuguita's memory and the memories of all those stolen by police killings demand that we all continue the collective struggle for a future without state violence. In their name, we fight to Stop Cop City."

Defend the Atlanta Forest wrote, "Justice doesnt [sic] come from the courts; it comes from our dedication to fight for liberation through hardships. We honor the dead by refusing to give up."

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Georgia deputy body-slams man, fractures his skull, and arrests him after mistaking him for a burglar. Viral dashcam footage prompts a second review.



Tyler Canaris reportedly took to a Georgia road in the early hours of March 4, 2022, keen to walk to work. Instead of reaching his destination, Canaris got worked over by a Paulding County sheriff's deputy, who mistook the 30-year-old for a burglar.

Dash camera footage of the interaction has recently gone viral, prompting greater scrutiny of Canaris' bone-breaking arrest and his subsequent obstruction charges. The Facebook page belonging to the sheriff's office has been deluged with critical comments and calls for rectification.

What are the details?

Around 6 a.m. on March 4, Paulding County Sheriff's Deputy Michael McMaster was responding to a call of a suspicious person breaking into vehicles in the Evans Mill subdivision in Dallas, Georgia, reported WAGA.

Sgt. Ashley Henson with the PCSO stated, "When deputies responded to that area, they made contact with a person matching the description."

A dashcam video of the interaction shows Canaris walking along the side of the road when the deputy zeroes in with high beams and stops his progress.

"Let's see your hands," says McMaster.

Canaris, listening to headphones, appears confused. Upon realizing he is being issued orders, he takes out an earbud in time to hear the deputy demand that he keep his hands out of his pockets and that he also ought to take off his backpack.

"You're being detained," says the deputy, grabbing Canaris' right arm and beginning to pull the man's backpack off.

"Excuse me, what am I doing wrong? ... Can you explain this?" asks Canaris, noting that he is simply headed to work.

McMaster marches Canaris over to the hood of his cruiser and indicates that he matches the description of someone breaking into cars.

Canaris gesticulates as he tells the deputy he hasn't broken into any cars, then McMaster body-slams him against the pavement.

McMaster later stated, "Tyler was making movements with his hands I was unable to see due to the lack of sunlight; my blue/white lights were extremely bright as well. ... Tyler again attempted to loosen my grip and tried to turn around to face me. I still have not patted Tyler down for weapons at this point. Tyler's left hand went towards his waist band, out of my view. I then gained control of Tyler and escorted him to the ground to better control him."

Suffering multiple brone fractures, Canaris groans in pain, while McMaster calls him a "dumb bastard."

When Canaris complains of the pain, another deputy repeatedly tells him to "shut the f*** up."

Amid his cries, Canaris reiterates, "I was just going to work," to which McMaster, rifling through his detainee's belongings, replies, "Act like a f***ing man."

After digging through Canaris' bag, McMaster appears exasperated, at which time he tells Canaris to "relax," noting to the other deputy, "He hit his head pretty good."

Canaris was rushed to a hospital with a skull fracture and a clavicle fracture. Since he still had an earbud in his left ear when he hit the ground, court documents indicated his ear was also injured.

Canaris was ultimately charged with obstruction of an officer, a misdemeanor charge. McMaster, meanwhile, reportedly went back into service right afterward.

\u201cDude is walking to work and gets body slammed and arrested? This shit has to stop.\n\n\u201cSheriff's officials say it was later determined he was not breaking into cars, but he was charged with Obstruction of Justice, and is still facing those charges.\u201d\n\u201d
— Hodgetwins (@Hodgetwins) 1676812233

Sgt. Henson noted that in the wake of the video's wide circulation, the PCSO decided "to get the GBI involved and let them look at it and get their unbiased third party opinion on what took place, and if there were any criminal actions that took place in that incident."

"We're aware of the optics of this incident. At this point, because we've turned the case over to the GBI, and there is pending potential civil litigation in the case, we're going to opt not to elaborate on that portion of the case," added Henson.

Here is the full video of the encounter:

Tyler Canaris 03/04/2022 nonedited youtu.be

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