The charred remains of the restaurant, which became a focal point of protests in the weeks after the 27-year-old Brooks murder, began to be taken down Tuesday morning, according to CNN affiliate WSB-TV.
At dusk, the building was a pile of rubble.
The June 12 shooting occurred when protests developed across the country against police violence against blacks. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned after the murder.
Video footage from that night showed Brooks handcuffed in the Wendy’s parking lot, then grabbing an officer’s Taser and running away. Brooks aimed the Taser over his shoulder at an officer who shot him multiple times. An autopsy showed that Brooks was shot twice in the back.
The following night, June 13, the restaurant was set on fire as crowds of protesters watched.
The officer who shot Brooks, Garrett Rolfe, was fired. He was charged with serious murder, as well as five counts of aggravated assault, four counts of violation of the oath of office, and one count of criminal property damage. He was released with $ 500,000 earlier this month.
Another officer, Devin Brosnan, faces an assault charge aggravated for allegedly standing on Brooks’ shoulders prostrate in the parking lot, which he denies. He was released on his own recognition.
Three people have been charged with first-degree arson in connection with the fire, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue.
Protesters seized the restaurant and the area around it after Brooks’ death, WSB-TV reported. Police cleared the area after the fatal shooting of Secoriea Turner, 8, on July 4 near Wendy’s.
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