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By Alexis Stevens

(The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) No criminal charges will be filed against the Georgia State Patrol troopers who shot and killed a protester at the site of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center, a district attorney said Friday. online news

Manuel Teran, 26, was killed in January during a “clearing operation” on the wooded property in southern DeKalb after first firing shots at troopers, according to investigators.

“The use of lethal (deadly) force by the Georgia State Patrol was objectively reasonable under the circumstances of this case,” George Christian, DA pro tempore for the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, said in an emailed statement. “No criminal charges will be brought against the Georgia State Patrol Troopers involved in the shooting of Manual Paez Teran.”

On the morning of Jan. 18, troopers began clearing the forest when they encountered dozens of tents, one of which belonged to Teran, according to investigators. Teran was inside and briefly spoke to officers but refused to leave.

“No, I want you to leave,” Teran said, according to a 31-page report released by Christian.

Troopers then fired pepper balls inside the enclosure in an attempt to drive Teran out and make an arrest for criminal trespassing. Teran fired four shots from the tent, seriously injuring a trooper. Other troopers then returned fire, the GBI has said.

Six troopers were involved in the incident and all were dressed in green with patches indicating “police” and “SWAT” affiliation, according to investigators. The troopers told investigators they feared for their lives, as well as those of their colleagues, the report states. They also feared Teran had released an improvised explosive device or IED.

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When a trooper was hit by gunfire, he dropped to a knee and fired back, the report states. He tried to then walk away from the area, but then collapsed and was treated at the scene before being taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. The injured trooper underwent emergency surgery to remove a bullet lodged near his spine, according to investigators.

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After the shootings, the GBI also said that ballistics testing showed the gun found at the scene of Teran’s death fired the bullet that struck the trooper. A GBI spokeswoman said the agency confirmed via transaction records that Teran, known to friends as “Tortuguita,” legally purchased the Smith & Wesson in question in September 2020.

In a statement released through an attorney, Teran’s mother said he was an environmental activist.

“Manny was a kind person who helped anyone who needed it. He was a pacifist,” Belkis Teran said in a statement. “They say he shot a police officer. I do not believe it. I do not understand why they will not even privately explain to us what happened to our child.”

There is no body camera footage of the shooting, as state troopers are generally not equipped with cameras. Several other agencies were involved in the operation that day, including the Atlanta Police Department, which released a set of four videos in February.

An autopsy commissioned by the family showed Teran had raised hands when he was shot, the family’s attorney said. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office also conducted an autopsy.

In April, that report was released and stated that gunshot residue was “not seen” on the hands of Teran. His body had at least 57 gunshot wounds, which included entrance and exit wounds, as well as re-entry and re-exit, the report stated.

“We are devastated to learn that our child, our sweet Manny, was mercilessly gunned down by police and suffered 57 bullet wounds,” Teran’s mother said in a statement.

In June, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced that she had withdrawn her office from prosecuting cases relating to the public safety training center. Christian, who serves as the DA in the north Georgia counties of Habersham, Rabun and Stephens, was assigned to the investigation.