Black Students Who Were Tased, Ripped from Car Speak Out at Presser
Atlanta Protests Black Students Tased in Car Speak Out, Decry Brutality in Presser
UPDATE
3:17 PM PT -- The two black students who were tased in their vehicle and then violently removed from it say they're lucky to be alive to tell the tale -- but they have an even more important message ... see it, change it.
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UPDATE
Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim got in front of cameras Monday and told the media how they're processing what happened to them in Atlanta this weekend -- when they were swarmed by police officers and yanked from the car by force ... this after being tased.
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Messiah said he was grateful to have so many allies in the community -- there in ATL and beyond -- who had his and Taniyah's backs ... but he also said what occurred would likely happen again, adding their case was not unique ... and going to demand structural change.
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Taniyah then spoke, and blasted one of the officers on the scene -- not one of the two that were fired -- saying he told them they were lucky he and his team didn't shoot them. As Taniyah rightly notes, that's not something to say to someone who just went through that.
Two Atlanta cops have been fired over this violent incident -- a black couple yanked from their car and tased while trying to leave a protest ... all captured on police body cam.
APD released the video showing just how chaotic and scary it was Saturday night for the 2 college students as they were being swarmed and attacked by the cops. The officers smashed the windows when the couple refused to comply with their orders of exiting the vehicle, and then they fired their tasers on them.
The young woman can be heard shrieking as she's violently ripped from the car, and eventually ... they get the guy out too and put both of them in cuffs and lead them away.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Mayor @KeishaBottoms announces the termination of 2 Atlanta Police Department officers involved in last nights incident with Morehouse and Spelman college students. pic.twitter.com/rZ4udbur4U
— Francesca Amiker (@FranTVHost) May 31, 2020 @FranTVHost
It's still not clear what led up to this -- some have said these folks were out past curfew, other reports say they attempted to drive around a cop when ordered to stop -- but in any case ... this excessive force cost 2 of the officers their jobs, and sent 3 others to desk duty.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she understands the police are under distress ... they still have a responsibility not to escalate situations. She called it a clear case of "excessive force."
As for the 2 students -- both are not going to face charges. The guy was initially arrested Saturday night, but Mayor Bottoms has told APD to drop the case entirely.
Originally Published -- 7:11 AM PT
