Matt Ryan: “Rayshard Brooks should be alive — end of story”

[Freddie Falcon]

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Another excessive use of force by police happened in Atlanta on Friday night. Another man who did not deserve to die was killed by an officer who performed the role of judge, jury, and executioner in a fit of embarrassment, ego, and adrenaline.

And Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is not happy about it.

“I spent the weekend trying to wrap my head around the killing of Rayshard Brooks,” Ryan posted on Twitter. “To be completely honest, I can’t. Rayshard Brooks should be alive — end of story. We cannot continue to lose lives due to police brutality.

“Atlanta, I see you, I hear you and I’m taking action with my Fund. I’m with you more than ever as we take the next steps in the fight against police brutality and systemic racism. We can and will Rise Up.”

Matt Ryan is right. Rayshard Brooks should be alive.

Questioned by police after he was found asleep in his car in a Wendy’s parking lot, Brooks admitted that he’d been drinking. Brooks had been patted down for weapons. The police had his ID.

But then came a sudden scuffle as Brooks was being cuffed. Was he wrong to resist? Yes. Was he wrong to punch a cop while resisting? Yes. Was he wrong to take one of their Tasers and run away? Yes.

That’s not something that justifies an immediate death sentence to be issued and carried out. Let the guy run. They know where he lives. They can get him later. As someone said on MSNBC the other night, it’s not like a helicopter was about to emerge and take him to Kathmandu.

This is what Colin Kaepernick was talking about in 2016. Those who have the ability to use deadly force need to have the right training and experience to know when to use it, and when not to use it. In this case, unless Brooks had a real gun (not a Taser) pointed at police and was about to pull the trigger, there was no reason to shoot him — especially since the shooting happened in the Wendy’s parking lot with cars in line to get food. Indeed, one of the other cars was struck by a bullet.

To think that this happened as the world demands change in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd makes it even more mind boggling. Guns should be issued only to those who know when use them, and the good cops who understand that should be pissed that idiots and assholes are making all of them look bad by killing people who didn’t deserve to die.