The governor of Atlanta appoints the National Guard.
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(Foto: Bloomberg)
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Atlanta After a weekend of violent gunfire to an eight-year-old in Atlanta, Georgia’s governor Brian Kemp has mobilized the national guard. He also declared an emergency on Monday. Up to 1,000 national guardsmen would support police work in certain locations, such as the South State Capitol and the governor’s residence in Atlanta, Kemp announced. This should enable security forces to keep order in other areas.
Late Saturday evening, eight-year-old Secoriea Turner was killed by gunfire on a car. Authorities said the car had passed through illegally built barricades to get to a parking area in the area. But at least two armed suspects blocked the passage and opened fire on the vehicle in which the girl was sitting with her mother and her friend.
The shots were fired near a Wendy’s fast food restaurant where Black Rayshard Brooks was killed on June 12 by a police officer. The restaurant was later set on fire. Since then, police violence has been demonstrated in the area.
Secoriea died in a night of particularly excessive violence in the southern metropolis. On the holiday weekend celebrating American Independence Day, five people were shot and 30 others injured in Atlanta alone, Kemp’s office said. The governor had already sharply condemned the violence on Sunday evening. The recent trend of lawlessness is outrageous and unacceptable, he wrote on social media.
“This lawlessness must be stopped”
On Monday, the governor followed up with the activation of the National Guard and the proclamation of an emergency. Peaceful protests have been hijacked by criminals with a dangerous, destructive agenda, he said. Now innocent citizens of Georgia would be targeted, shot and left dead. “This lawlessness must be stopped and order in our capital restored.”
The declaration of emergency was justified by “unlawful assembly, violence, open threats of violence, disturbance of the peace and tranquility of this state and existing threats to people and property,” said Kemp’s order. This should remain in effect until at least June 13th.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms had called for justice for little Secoriea at an emotional press conference on Sunday. No police officers could be held responsible for their death this time. This is about some people with guns who would have shot a car with an eight-year-old baby – “What for?” Asked Bottoms. “Enough is enough”. With a view to the protests against police violence and racism after George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis in late May and the Brooks case, the black mayor also warned of damage to the image of activists. “If you want people to take us seriously and you don’t want us to lose this movement, then we can’t lose each other,” Bottoms warned.
Secoria’s father, Secoriya Williamson, said his daughter only wanted to go home that evening to see her cousins. “They say” Black lives matter “-” Black lives matter, “he added. “You killed your own.”
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