Killing of Manuel Esteban Paez Terán
2023 killing of an environmental activist in Georgia, United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manuel Esteban Paez Terán, also known as Tortuguita, was a Venezuelan environmental activist and eco-anarchist[1][2] who was shot and killed by Georgia State Patrol Troopers, after a Georgia State Patrol Trooper was wounded[3][third-party source needed] during a raid of the Stop Cop City encampment on January 18, 2023.[3][third-party source needed]
Date | January 18, 2023 (2023-01-18) |
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Venue | Stop Cop City occupied protest |
Location | Stop Cop City encampment, South River Forest, Georgia, United States |
Type | Law enforcement killing |
Shooting is under investigation |
Bodycam footage from the incident, after the shooting, includes video recordings of police from the scene speculating that the officer's gunshot injury was the result of friendly fire.[4][5][6][7] Autopsy results showed Paez Terán sustained 57 gunshot wounds, and found no visible gunpowder residue on their hands.[8][9] However, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) report found traces of gunshot primer that could be present from Paez Terán shooting a weapon, police gunshots, or contamination.[10]
Terán's family claims that Paez Terán's hands were up at the time of the shooting, based on independent autopsy results showing bullet exit wounds in both hands.[11][12][13]
The claim of friendly fire is disputed by the Atlanta Police Department, which has alleged that Paez Terán fired at APD officers without warning after they had ordered the activist to exit the tent they were camping in.[14]
A forensic ballistic analysis report by the GBI claims a 9mm handgun belonging to Paez Terán (legally purchased in 2020) was used to shoot the officer during the police raid. The details of this report's analysis have not been released publicly.[15]
On April 19, the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's office released an autopsy, which found at least 57 gunshot wounds on Paez Terán's body and ruled their death a homicide; the autopsy also found no evidence of gunshot residue on Paez Terán's hands.[8][16]
According to The Guardian, Paez Terán was the first environmental activist in modern U.S. history to have been shot and killed by police during a protest.[6][17] Demonstrations and vigils were held in several cities in the United States and internationally in reaction to the shooting, including a riot in Atlanta on January 21, 2023.[18][19][1] Many organizations and some members of Congress have condemned the killing and called for an independent investigation of the events.[20][21]