#Atlanta mayor: Rayshard Brooks incident ‘didn’t have to end this way’

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a TV interview Tuesday that the police shooting death of Rayshard Brooks began as “almost a pleasant interaction” that “didn’t have to end this way.”

“That could have been any one of us,” Bottoms said on NBC’s “Today” show. “That could be any of our kids or brothers. In this case it was: It was someone’s father.”

Bottoms said the shooting, which “is so personal to so many people of color,” began as “almost a pleasant interaction.”

“It didn’t have to end this way. That’s what’s so frustrating,” she said. “It leaves us asking so many questions. We do so many things in Atlanta we thought to get it right, and this went so terribly wrong.”

Police Chief Erika Shields resigned less than 24 hours after the Friday night shooting, saying in a statement, “It is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

On Tuesday, the mayor said she appreciated Shield’s work and dedication – and that the former chief, who remains on the force, will have input on its “transformation.”

The police department had already reviewing its policies, and Brooks’ death — which has been ruled a homicide — only intensifies the need for that, Bottoms said.

The 27-year-old was shot during a foot chase following a field sobriety test in the parking lot of a Wendy’s restaurant, where he had fallen asleep in the drive-thru line.

Garrett Rolfe and a second officer, Devin Brosnan, chased Brooks after he grabbed one of their Tasers and ran off. He was seen in footage appearing to fire the Taser.

The former officer could face a felony murder charge, Fulton County’s top prosecutors said Sunday. Brosnan has been put on administrative leave.