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Rayshard Brooks | Medical examiner releases cause, manner of death

The Fulton County Medical Examiner confirmed on Sunday that the man died of two gunshot wounds to the back

ATLANTA — An autopsy has revealed the official cause of death for a man shot by police in a south Atlanta Wendy's parking lot.

According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office, Rayshard Brooks' cause of death was two gunshot wounds to the back that caused organ injuries and blood loss.

The manner of death has been confirmed to be homicide - or the death of one person caused by another.

The deadly shooting happened after police were called on a man, later identified as Brooks, who was asleep in his car in a Wendy's drive-thru. Brooks failed a field sobriety test, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and, when officers tried to take him into custody, a struggle ensued. During the altercation, officials said Brooks grabbed an officer's Taser and began to run away. Moments later, shots were fired.  

Brooks was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The shooting of Brooks has served as a flashpoint in the ongoing protests of the deaths of George Floyd in Minnesota, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and Ahmaud Arbery in south Georgia.

Protesters and others have gathered in the area where Brooks, a father of four children, was shot - a Wendy's restaurant off of University Avenue.

The GBI recently released surveillance video and the Atlanta Police Department released body-camera video from the officers involved - one of which has fired after the shooting and the other placed on administrative leave.

The police chief also resigned on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the shooting occurred.

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