ATLANTA — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Friday it was investigating the death of a 62-year-old man who was involved in a "physical struggle" while he was being taken into custody by Atlanta police, then later became unresponsive and died at the hospital.
APD in a statement described "several minutes of struggling" between Johnny Hollman and the arresting officer; Hollman became unresponsive shortly after. Neither Atlanta Police nor the GBI described the exact circumstances of the struggle, which authorities said included the deployment of the officer's Taser.
The officer, whom police have not identified, has been placed on administrative leave under the department's policy while APD's own internal investigation is conducted.
Hollman's daughter confirmed to 11Alive's Brittany Kleinpeter that he was a deacon at Lively Stones of God Ministries on MLK Jr. Dr. in Atlanta.
"Family we are lifting the Hollman/Hardin Family up in prayer. Chairman Johnny Hollman has just transitioned," the church posted on Facebook. his daughter provided photos:
Johnny Hollman
The incident in question happened Thursday night a little after 11 p.m. at the intersection of Cunningham Place and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. Police said the officers were investigating a traffic collision when, according to the GBI, Hollman "became non-compliant and the officer attempted to take Hollman into custody."
The bureau said the struggle then occurred, and that the officer "attempted to use a Taser as Hollman continued to resist arrest." Atlanta police in their statement said the officer "utilized his Taser," though neither statement was clear as to whether Hollman was in fact struck by the Taser.
APD's statement said the officer had arrived on scene to investigate the accident and "determined the at-fault driver" who "became agitated and uncooperative" when the officer attempted to issue a traffic citation.
APD described what happened next as Hollman resisting and "a struggle ensued."
"After several minutes struggling with the male, the officer utilized his taser and, with the help of a witness, placed the driver into handcuff," the Atlanta police statement said. "Once the driver was in handcuffs, the officer realized he was unresponsive and requested EMS to the scene. The driver was taken to Grady Hospital and has been pronounced deceased."
The GBI said: "After the officer took Hollman into custody, police determined that Hollman had become unresponsive. Police called EMS personnel, and Hollman was taken to a local hospital where he died."
According to the GBI, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy. The GBI's investigative file will be turned over to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' office once it is complete, the bureau said.
The bureau added that the investigation is "active and ongoing" and asked anyone with information to contact the GBI regional investigative office in Conyers at (706) 388-5019. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app."