Questions swirl over reason Atlanta police officer was fired in the death of Johnny Hollman
Opposition to APD chief's decision on Hollman case
Atlanta police officers tell FOX 5 they do not believe the explanation given by police officials regarding the firing of the officer involved in the death of Johnny Hollman. Police say the responding officer to a traffic accident decided to use a Taser on the senior citizen after he allegedly became combative. But this, the police chief terminated that officer, explaining it was because he failed to notify a supervisor before the encounter escalated.
ATLANTA - A senior representative for police officers in Atlanta says the rank and file has no confidence in the reason stated by command for the firing of a young officer.
Questions are swirling around an encounter between the officer, K. Kimbrough, and Johnny Hollman during a traffic accident call.
What typically is routine, happening countless times a day, turned out to be anything but that.
APD Chief Darin Schierbaum terminated Officer Kimbrough for failing to follow the department’s standard operating procedures during the incident on Aug. 10.
According to the results of the administrative review, Kimbrough failed to have a supervisor on the scene prior to proceeding with the physical arrest of Hollman for refusing to sign a citation.
Hollman, a 62-year-old deacon at The Lively Stones of God Ministries Church of Atlanta, was driving to bible study along Cunningham Place in southwest Atlanta when he was involved in a crash.
The responding police officer found Hollman at fault for the crash and issued him a citation, which Hollman reportedly would not sign.
Hollman allegedly became "non-compliant" when the officer attempted to place him under arrest for refusing to sign the citation and a Taser was used on him.
Hollman became unresponsive shortly after and was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
People took to the streets of Atlanta on Sept. 23, 2023 to demand the release of police body camera footage showing what happened the night Deacon Johnny Hollman was killed in police custody.
For weeks, there has been the community outcry over the incident. Hollman’s family has repeatedly called for justice after his death. Although the video of the encounter has not been released to the public, family members have seen the video and say the officer should be charged with murder.
Vince Champion, director of the police union, said any officer engaged in a heated dispute that may become physical will not have time to quell the action and call for a supervisor.
"You train the officers to use a Taser and they should be given the right to exercise that judgment," Champion said. "Now, officers are going to be reluctant to do anything if they are going to be punished for using less lethal."
People took to the streets of Atlanta on Sept. 23, 2023 to demand the release of police body camera footage showing what happened the night Deacon Johnny Hollman was killed in police custody.
According to the family’s lawyer, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told him and relatives that the video would be released as soon as Willis concluded that all witnesses have been interviewed.
Multiple bags of marijuana, a scale, and a gun were among the items found in the vehicle Hollman was driving. However, the gun belonged to one of Hollman’s grandsons and there’s no evidence that he was aware of the drugs and scale in the vehicle.