Stacey Abrams on Fatal DUI Arrest: Suspect was Only ‘Sleeping in a Drive-Thru’ and ‘Running Away’

Former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has criticized police in the death of a man who resisted arrest while being arrested for DUI. She said that “Sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death.”

She believes the killing shows the need for severe restrictions in use of deadly force. She also called for an investigation – and accountability.

She also tweeted out yesterday that she didn’t believe a taser is a deadly weapon, but a gun is. Instead of “sleeping in a drive-thru” she said that “running away should not be punishable by death.”

A taser is not a deadly weapon. A gun is. Adrenaline and irritation are not the same as mortal fear. Running away should not be punishable by death. Public safety must mean the public is safe. All of us.#BlackLivesMatter#AtlantaShooting#RayshardBrooks

A taser is not a deadly weapon. A gun is.

Adrenaline and irritation are not the same as mortal fear.

Running away should not be punishable by death.

Public safety must mean the public is safe. All of us.#BlackLivesMatter #AtlantaShooting #RayshardBrooks

— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) June 13, 2020

From the USA Today:

Rayshard Brooks, 27, was shot outside the Wendy’s late Friday. Brooks, who is Black, had fallen asleep in his car in the drive-thru. He failed a sobriety test and was being handcuffed when he struggled. Two white officers tackled him, video from the scene shows. He appeared to wrestle a Taser from one of the officers and was fleeing when he was shot.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office ruled Brooks’ death as a homicide, according to a press release on Sunday night.

“Mr. Brooks had two gunshot wounds of his back that created organ injuries and blood loss,” the release said

Drinking and driving is a serious problem in America as every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that’s one person every 50 minutes.

While these deaths have fallen by a third in the last three decades, drunk-driving crashes claim more than 10,000 lives per year.