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Body camera footage set to be released in tasing death of Atlanta deacon

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Body camera footage set to be released in tasing death of Atlanta deacon


The Fulton County District Attorney’s office is expected to release body camera footage this week that shows the incident that led to the tasing death of Johnny Hollman, the 62-year-old Atlanta deacon who died on Aug. 10 after he was shocked with a stun gun by an Atlanta police officer during a traffic stop.

In a statement released on Monday, the DA’s office said that it determined that the “video may be released without negatively affecting the investigation” and that the footage would be made available to media outlets “who file an open records request with the office.”

The DA’s office did not provide an exact date for the release of the video, but Mawuli Davis, an attorney who represents the Hollman family, told ABC News on Tuesday that the family expects the video to be released on Wednesday.

Hollman’s family has been calling for the release of the body camera footage for months amid a joint investigation into the incident by the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is also investigating the incident.

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“Whatever happened, they killed my daddy,” Hollman’s daughter, Arnitra Hollman, told ABC News’ Linsey Davis in an interview that aired in August.

Arnitra Hollman said that she was on the phone with her father during his interaction with the police officer and claimed that the officer was “aggressive” with her father and she later heard him say, “I can’t breathe.”

“When I got to the scene, my daddy was already dead,” she said.

“My dad has chronic asthma he’s had ever since he was a child. If he tells you he can’t breathe, you have to stop whatever you’re doing,” she added.

An autopsy conducted by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office lists Hollman’s manner of death as “homicide.” The report, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, lists “Cardiac dysrhythmia due to use of conducted energy device in association with hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” as the cause of death.

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A spokesperson for GBI told ABC News on Tuesday, “The GBI investigation is complete and has been given to the Fulton County DA’s Office for next steps.”

According to a release from the Atlanta Police Department, an Atlanta police officer arrived at the scene of a minor traffic accident on Aug. 10 at around 11:20 p.m. where he determined that Hollman was “at-fault” and issued him a traffic citation. Hollman refused to sign the citation, an arrestable offense at the time of the incident, according to APD.

“The driver became agitated and uncooperative. The officer attempted to take the driver into custody, but he resisted, and a struggle ensued,” the statement said. “After several minutes struggling with the driver, the officer utilized his taser and, with the help of a witness, placed him into handcuffs.”

According to police, the officer then realized that Hollman had become “unresponsive” so he called emergency medical services to the scene. Hollman was then taken to Grady Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The officer, who was later identified as Officer Kiran Kimbrough, was initially placed on administrative leave amid an internal investigation. The APD announced on Oct. 10 that Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum “terminated Officer Kimbrough for failing to follow the department’s standard operating procedures” during Hollman’s arrest by failing to call a supervisor to the scene before the arrest and for failing to sign the traffic citation.

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ABC News’ attempts to reach out directly to Kimbrough were unsuccessful.

Following the officer’s termination, Kimbrough’s attorney Lance LoRusso told the Associated Press in a statement that Kimbrough “vehemently denies any wrongdoing or policy violations” and plans to appeal.

ABC news has reached out to LoRusso for further comment.

According to APD, the department has reevaluated its standard of operations regarding traffic citations since Hollman’s death and changed its policy to allow officers to write “refusal to sign” on tickets, rather than make an arrest.

According to the APD, officers found a handgun and nine baggies of marijuana in Hollman’s vehicle after his death. ABC News reached out to the police department to confirm whether the handgun was legal or not, but APD did not immediately respond.

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“Every single person and life in the City of Atlanta matters to me,” Schierbaum said in a statement on Oct. 10. “I understand the difficult and dangerous job that our officers do each and every day throughout the city. I do not arrive at these decisions lightly. Only after a diligent review of all of the facts, while ensuring the due process of our officers, do I arrive at my decision.”

Davis called for the release of the body camera footage ahead of protests in Atlanta following Hollman’s death.

He told ABC News in an August interview that he hopes the release of the footage will allow the family to “have answers.”

“This was a simple traffic accident,” Davis said at the time. “You should be able to go home after a traffic accident, you should not die out in an Atlanta street because you’re in a collision, and police are too aggressive.”



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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta's Arctic air impact: Uncertainty looms over MLK weekend forecast

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Atlanta's Arctic air impact: Uncertainty looms over MLK weekend forecast


Residents across Georgia can expect a mix of rain, cold, and the possibility of snowflakes in the coming days as winter weather patterns continue to shift. 

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What we know:

According to FOX 5 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist David Chandley, widespread rain is forecast for the weekend, with extreme northern areas possibly seeing snowflakes late Sunday into Monday. Significant snow accumulation is not expected.

“Yeah, this go-around into the weekend, really, we’re just going to see some rain across North Georgia,” Chandley stated. He added that next week’s forecast remains uncertain, with Arctic air potentially influencing weather conditions. “We’ve got a whole week to kind of hash that out. All the things can change.”

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The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday will likely be chilly but dry for much of Georgia. “It’s going to be chilly, but it looks like dry conditions for the MLK holiday celebration,” Chandley explained.

In metro Atlanta, Tuesday could bring a slight chance of wintry precipitation as temperatures drop. “January is very active, no doubt about it,” Chandley noted.

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Metro Atlanta forecast

  • Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 30°F.
  • Wednesday: Sunny, high around 48°F.
  • Thursday: Sunny, breezy, high near 53°F.
  • Friday Night to Saturday: Rain moves in late Friday, with showers likely Saturday. Highs in the mid-50s.
  • Sunday: Mostly cloudy, high near 48°F. A few snowflakes possible in extreme North Georgia late.
  • MLK Day (Monday): Mostly sunny, high near 37°F. A slight chance of rain or snow.

Extreme North Georgia Mountains forecast

  • Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 20°F.
  • Wednesday: Sunny, high near 42°F.
  • Thursday: Sunny, breezy, high near 46°F.
  • Friday Night to Saturday: Showers likely Friday night into Saturday, high near 49°F.
  • Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, low near 20°F.
  • MLK Day (Monday): Slight chance of snow, mostly sunny, high near 34°F.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., the snow should move out before noon for the swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill. Highs will be in the 20s and lows will be around 12 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.

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Possible snow in Georgia?

What we don’t know:

While the immediate forecast is becoming clearer, there is still uncertainty surrounding next week’s weather patterns. FOX 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Stacey highlighted the potential for snow but emphasized that forecasts remain in flux. “I know many of you are thinking about some snow because you’re hearing about some snow,” Stacey said. “At this point, all we can do is just pay attention and see what’s out there. As we get closer, we’ll look for consistency.”

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Key questions remain:

  • Will Arctic air and other weather systems converge to create snow across Georgia?
  • How might fluctuating temperatures impact the likelihood of wintry precipitation?

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Snow next week?

Timeline:

Here is a look at the timeline of weather for the next week:

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  • Tuesday: Slight chance of wintry precipitation in metro Atlanta as temperatures drop.
  • Friday Night to Saturday: Rain moves into the region.
  • Sunday to Monday: Snowflakes possible in extreme North Georgia; the rest of the state remains chilly with mostly dry conditions.
  • MLK Day: Chilly but dry conditions for holiday celebrations.

What’s next:

Meteorologists will continue monitoring weather models throughout the week. Residents are encouraged to stay updated via trusted local forecasts, including FOX 5, and prepare for any changes in the weather as Arctic air moves closer. “All we can do is just pay attention,” Jonathan Stacey advised, underscoring the importance of staying alert to new developments.

The Source: This article is sourced from original forecasting by the FOX 5 Storm Team.

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Atlanta, GA

PREVIEW: Suns Begin Long Road Trip vs Hawks

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PREVIEW: Suns Begin Long Road Trip vs Hawks


The Phoenix Suns (19-19) embark on a five-game road trip tonight when they take on the Atlanta Hawks (19-19), looking to extend their win streak to four games and move above .500 in a crowded Western Conference.

Phoenix could be facing a very short-handed Atlanta team tonight, as the Hawks listed Trae Young (illness) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (right knee inflammation) as questionable, while Jalen Johnson (right shoulder inflammation) remains out.

For the Suns, only Jusuf Nurkic (illness) is out, while Grayson Allen (left knee soreness) is probable.

After having a game postponed due to weather conditions on Saturday, the Hawks have not played since falling to the Suns 123-115 last Thursday at Footprint Center. Meanwhile, the Suns have picked up victories over the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets since this meeting.

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With a fully healthy rotation, one big key for the Suns tonight is to continue to utilize their depth and solidify the lineups that work the best in this stretch.

Bradley Beal coming off the bench has provided a huge spark for that unit, but Phoenix’s other bench players have stepped up as of late as well.

In Sunday’s 120-113 win over Charlotte, the Suns ran a nine-man rotation and closed with a lineup that consisted of three bench players – Beal, Royce O’Neale and Oso Ighodaro alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. O’Neale and Ighodaro hit some huge shots in the closing minutes to seal the game.

The only bench player that did not play in the clutch was Allen after he left the game at halftime with left knee soreness after recording 13 points before halftime.

Phoenix’s bench all of a sudden looks like one of the best in the league, and it all began in the Atlanta game when Allen and Beal combined for 48 points. O’Neale returning from a six-game absence due to an ankle injury against Charlotte strengthened the unit even more.

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With a depleted Hawks roster, expect Phoenix to once again try to take advantage of its firepower coming off the bench.

One area for improvement tonight for the Suns is their paint defense and rebounding. In their last two games, the Suns have been outrebounded by a combined 25 rebounds, giving up 15 offensive rebounds to Charlotte and 21 to the Jazz Saturday.

Mark Williams feasted against Phoenix’s centers in the first half Sunday, recording a season-high 22 points and 13 rebounds in the first half alone.

However, the Suns made a lot of good defensive adjustments that worked against Williams (0 field goals in second half) and the Hornets down the stretch (won fourth quarter 27-15).

Phoenix will have to fine-tune its defense to make sure it comes out of the gates stronger, but has shown that it can adjust as needed on that side of the ball.

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Right now for the Suns as they begin this road trip, it’s all about finding an identity on both sides of the ball and discovering the best methods for victory as they look to continue to build momentum.

Tonight’s game tips off shortly after 5:30 p.m. Arizona time.



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Atlanta-based health app finds success in ‘Damp January’

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Atlanta-based health app finds success in ‘Damp January’


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Throughout January, millions of Americans participate in “Dry January,” an attempt to go the whole month without drinking.

Vedant Pradeep’s research has taught him otherwise. The 28-year-old Georgia Tech alumnus is the founder and CEO of Reframe, an app that helps people reduce their drinking. His research shows that a more gradual decline, which he calls “Damp January,” achieves better long-term results.

“We started out trying to help out people with hypoglycemia,” Pradeep said.

But as many startups do, Pradeep pivoted when he noticed many of the people he was helping struggled with alcohol.

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“Alcohol is a bad coping strategy, but it is a coping strategy,” Pradeep said.

Reframe, headquartered in Alpharetta, went live in 2020 and has surged to the top of health-app sales in the Apple Store. It offers voluminous options for people to help them cut back or quit drinking, including challenges, counseling, summaries, calendars, stats, and a vast community of users.

“We now have the world’s largest community of people that are trying to cut back on alcohol,” Pradeep said.

Most of all, Reframe has been successful, with over 1 million people using the app. Pradeep says internal numbers show that nearly 40% of users have stayed with it for over a year.

“It helps you understand what alcohol does to your body, how it works,” Pradeep said. “It helps you understand what your triggers are and helps you build these coping strategies.”

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It’s also gained support in the medical community. Atlanta cardiologist Dr. Ali Rahimi recommends it to his patients.

“You get a lot of support in an app like that that you don’t get when you see your doctor or therapist a couple of times per year,” he said.

That’s where Reframe fits in with other programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. The app and community are constantly available in a way that’s difficult for other alcohol-reduction programs.

The need is urgent, based on the latest scientific data. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Office publicly discussed the relationship between alcohol and certain cancers earlier this month.

Pradeep has known this for a while and understands that quitting cold turkey leads to slip-ups and then give-ups.

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“Alcohol isn’t actually serving you,” he said.

So, as Reframe continues to pile on users, it’s all about making progress toward one’s goal; it’s less about being dry than about becoming your best self.

“That’s the goal,” Pradeep said. “To get to a point where you no longer use alcohol as a coping strategy.”



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