Atlanta, GA

Federal judge dismisses charges against Atlanta officer in 2019 deadly shooting

Published

9 months ago

June 4, 2025

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Federal judge dismisses charges against Atlanta officer in 2019 deadly shooting

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Sung Kim (Atlanta Police Department)

ATLANTA – A federal judge has dismissed all criminal charges against Atlanta Police Officer Sung H. Kim, ruling he was immune from prosecution in the 2019 fatal shooting of 21-year-old Jimmy Atchison during a federal task force operation.

What we know:

U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown issued the ruling on Tuesday, citing both the federal Supremacy Clause and Georgia’s self-defense laws as grounds for dismissal. The decision voids a Fulton County grand jury indictment that charged Kim with felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and violation of oath of office.

“There is no genuine dispute that [Kim] reasonably believed his actions were necessary and proper,” Brown wrote. “The evidence for self-defense is so overwhelming it is hard to understand how Georgia could have brought these charges in the first place.”

The backstory:

The incident occurred on January 22, 2019, when Kim, a 26-year veteran of the Atlanta Police Department and a deputized member of the FBI’s Atlanta Violent Crime Task Force, joined a team attempting to arrest Atchison on an armed robbery warrant. According to court documents, Atchison fled from officers, first jumping from a window and then running through a northwest Atlanta apartment complex before hiding inside a closet beneath a pile of clothes.

Lawyer for ex-officer wants murder case dismissed

A Fulton County grand jury indicted Officer Sung Kim in 2022 for shooting and killing 21-year-old Jimmy Atchison during a 2019 raid. Atchison was unarmed and hiding in a closet. Kim’s lawyers have asked a judge for the case’s dismissal.

Officers, with the resident’s permission, entered the unit where Atchison was hiding. Kim ordered Atchison to show his hands. When Atchison made what Kim described as a sudden movement toward his face and chest, the officer fired a single shot, killing him. Investigators later determined Atchison was unarmed.

Kim said he believed Atchison was about to shoot him. The court found that belief reasonable, citing testimony from other officers and a use-of-force expert who agreed that Atchison’s motion constituted a “deadly force stimulus.”

Prosecutors argued Kim had acted recklessly and outside protocol, but Brown concluded Kim’s actions were consistent with his training and operational procedures.

A Fulton County grand jury indicted Kim in December 2022. The case was moved to federal court in early 2023, and Kim’s legal team sought dismissal on federal immunity grounds in March 2025.

Why you should care:

The shooting sparked public outcry and calls for accountability. Atchison’s family maintained he was surrendering when he was shot and accused officers of using excessive force. They filed a $20 million wrongful death lawsuit in 2020.

What’s next:

Tuesday’s decision effectively ends the criminal case and marks a turning point in a years-long legal battle that drew national attention and prompted a 2024 congressional investigation into federal task forces involving local officers.

What we don’t know:

Prosecutors have not said whether they will appeal the ruling.

Atlanta, GA

Stolen bikes derail program that teaches Atlanta youth to ride

Published

2 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Stolen bikes derail program that teaches Atlanta youth to ride

A program that teaches young Atlantans how to ride bikes suffered a major loss this week, after thieves emptied a storage trailer, making off with 26 bikes and 24 helmets.

The “Shifting Gears” program helps young cyclists learn how to navigate city streets on two wheels from an early age — particularly in underserved communities that suffer from high rates of traffic injuries and fatalities.

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Atlanta, GA

Thieves steal dozens of bikes meant for underprivileged kids from Atlanta nonprofit

Published

14 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Thieves steal dozens of bikes meant for underprivileged kids from Atlanta nonprofit

March 5, 2026 / 5:10 PM EST
/ CBS Atlanta

An Atlanta nonprofit is asking the public for help after it was the victim of a brazen theft earlier this week.

Propel ATL said that thieves cleared out an entire trailer of bicycles meant for underprivileged kids sometime on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Jeremiah Jones, the nonprofit’s advocacy manager, said that someone broke into the trailer and took 26 bikes and 24 helmets.

Nonprofit Propel Atl said someone stole dozens of bikes and helmets meant to go to children from their trailer this week.

CBS News Atlanta

The equipment was part of a program that gives bikes to children from low-income schools and teaches them how to ride.

“My heart sank when I got the call that all the bikes were gone. I said, ‘Surely not all of them.’ And all of them are gone,” Jones said. “This class is solely for kids, and this crime is affecting them.”

Atlanta police are reviewing security footage from the area. Jones said you could see people taking the bikes out of the trailer, carrying them down a hill, and bringing them into a nearby parking lot.

The nonprofit is now trying to raise more than $10,000 to replace the bikes.

Propel ATL is also asking who may have information about the theft to contact them at programs@letspropelatl.org.

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Atlanta, GA

Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles

A man was arrested at a concert last week after he shoved two kids off their bicycles, causing one of them to fall into a fountain, Sandy Springs police said. FOX 5 Atlanta’s Brittany Edney reporting.

Posted March 5, 2026 5:42am EST