Atlanta mayor asks APD to investigate death of 62-year-old father, church deacon who died in custody

ATLANTA, Ga. — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he has asked for an investigation into the death of a 62-year-old father and deacon who died while in police custody last week.

Johnny Hollman was taken into custody after a minor traffic accident on August 10 at the intersection of Cunningham Place and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. Atlanta police said he became “agitated and uncooperative” and used a stun gun on him.

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Hollman was handcuffed and police later realized he was unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.

On Tuesday, Dickens announced that he has asked Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbum to conduct an evaluation of the interaction with Hollman, “including a review of the department’s standard operating procedures and training curriculum.”

Dickens said the officer involved will receive due process. He has not been identified.

“Every single life in Atlanta is important and matters to me. Every single death in this city weighs on my heart,” Dickens said. “I have been in touch with the family of Mr. Hollman to express my condolences and the City has provided assistance to them.”

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Hollman’s children told Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln that he called them shortly after the accident so that they could listen to how the officer was treating him.

“I heard my daddy asking them, begging them,” Arnitra Hollman said. “He said, ‘This black car just hit me.’ I never hung up.”

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Arnitra Hollman said her brother started recording police when they got to the scene of the wreck.

“My daddy was just laying out there in the street with no life in him,” she said.

His children said he was a family man and a deacon at his church.

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