Atlanta

‘I heard it:’ Family of man killed after being Tased by Atlanta police wants video released

ATLANTA — The family of a man who died after a minor car crash led to him being Tased by Atlanta police are demanding that body camera video be released.

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was at a news conference on Friday where Johnny Hollman’s family described seeing witness video for themselves.

“I heard my daddy in distress. I heard my daddy tell them he couldn’t breathe. I heard it,” Hollman’s daughter Arnitra Fallins said.

She says her 62-year-old father was on his way home from Bible study last week when he was hit by another driver. She says that when police arrived, the situation escalated to her father being Tased and placed in handcuffs.

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Mawuli Davis, the family’s attorney, says they are still working on requesting the body camera footage, but have recently received a video of the aftermath of the encounter from a witness.

“What we have viewed is some of the aftermath and, to be quite frank, it’s shocking and sobering to see a man in an Atlanta street just out,” Davis said during the news conference.

The GBI says this is an ongoing investigation.

Investigators say that when police arrived, Hollman became non-compliant which led to him being Tased and placed in handcuffs.

Hollman was rushed to the hospital where he later died.

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Friends and family say they disagree with that account and are remembering the loving and caring grandfather of 26 and a deacon in his church.

“What I loved about him is just like he loved his family, he loved his church family,” Pastor Royce L. Tillman said.

Atlanta police released a statement to Channel 2 Action News on Friday that read:

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Johnny Hollman. It is troubling anytime that someone dies while interacting with a police officer. We take instances like this very seriously, and we understand the importance of an independent, thorough investigation. We owe that to the person’s loved ones and we owe that to the community. The GBI’s independent investigation into the death of Mr. Hollman remains open, and we will await their findings.”

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