Atlanta police officer draws weapon on civil rights activist

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Community leaders are calling for Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and police to take action after an Atlanta police officer drew his gun on an 82-year-old civil rights activist.

Flanked by community leaders, Dr. Joe Beasley discussed an encounter last Wednesday with an Atlanta police officer. Beasley unknowingly drove into a potential dangerous police detail near downtown. The street was not cordoned off. One officer approached Beasley's vehicle and ordered him to turn around.

Beasley said the officer pointed his gun at his head. According to Beasley, he tried to explain that he did not know what was going on and was trying to get to his office. The young Atlanta officer, seeing that he had approached a senior citizen, holstered his weapon. 

"I hadn't had a weapon drawn on me since I was in Vietnam," Beasley said. 

A lawyer for Beasley, who in the past was an officer himself, said legal action would be pursued against the city. 

The officer and the police chief met with Beasley and city councilman Michael Bond last Thursday. Both apologized to the well-known figure in the black community. 

Chief Erika Shield acknowledged the officer did not act appropriately. The department announced it will review and handle the matter internally.