An Atlanta family retained civil rights representation in possible legal action against a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy. Why? They claim instead of aiming for a carjacking suspect, the officer shot their 5-year-old.
On June 23, the Dallas Police Department attempted to put 25-year-old Rashauny Mike Palmer into custody, per the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Officer sought him on charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping in connection to an incident that occurred that evening. However, after officers put him in cuffs and placed him in the back of the patrol car, The GBI says he found a way to escape the vehicle and took off on foot.
Palmer managed to get into his Dodge Charger and drive off, per The GBI.
How did he get out of the handcuffs? No clue. Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies then engaged in a speed chase headed down I-20 East before Palmer crashed into a tractor trailer. Palmer then took off on foot to a nearby BP Gas station, and that’s where everything went left.
The GBI says he attempted to carjack two adults for their BMW and a deputy fired at the vehicle. Instead of Palmer being struck, a 5-year-old girl sitting in the back of the car was hit with the deputy’s bullet.
The release says she survived her injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Palmer was taken into custody and slammed with a slew of charges from several agencies including criminal attempt to commit murder, kidnapping and battery. The GBI will be conducting an indpenedent investigation into the situation. Meanwhile, the girl’s family demands the deputy in question to be fired immediately.
“I don’t know what action movie this deputy thought he was in, but that kind of callous disregard for basic safety gets innocent people killed in the real world,” said civil rights attorney Ben Crump. “Recklessness and negligence aren’t strong enough to describe what he did. He is a clear danger and he must be held accountable.”