SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — A South Fulton officer will be off the job without pay for three days following a use-of-force investigation stretching back to January.
The city announced on Thursday that Cpl. Solomon Muhammad, who was involved in an altercation with a man on Jan. 29, will be suspended for three days. He will also be required to take de-escalation and sensitivity training.
Marcus Coleman, who was involved in the dispute with Muhammad, and his attorney had been calling for the officer's termination ever since the incident.
Coleman, who is also the leader of an activist group calling for police reforms, said he pulled out his phone that day and began recording at the scene of an accident on Roosevelt Highway. Coleman said the officer was writing a police report in his car and he asked the officer why he wasn't directing traffic.
"Tell me why ain't nobody directing traffic," Coleman can be heard on his cell phone video, as he stood outside his own car and showed the traffic jam.
Muhammad's body camera video showed the two arguing and the officer getting out of his vehicle. The officer then followed Coleman as he started walking away and a scuffle ensued.
As 11Alive previously reported, Coleman said the officer pressed a taser into his chest and then handcuffed him. He said the officer illegally detained him for 40 minutes until a supervisor showed up and ordered him to be released.
However, Muhammad can be heard on the body camera telling his supervisor that he used minimum force when putting Coleman in handcuffs. He also admitted to having a taser in his hand but said he didn't use it.
The confrontation drew significant attention and also a probe by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) at the request of the police department, the findings of which were provided to the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.
Police Chief Keith Meadows issued a statement on Friday regarding the findings and the department's disciplinary actions.
“We have reviewed the findings of the GBI’s investigation into this incident and feel this to be a fitting resolution to the case,” Meadows said. “There were violations of department policy, which warrant the actions we’ve taken today. However, there is no evidence included in the GBI report that suggests additional measures should be taken.”
Cpl. Muhammad had been on administrative duty since the incident and will return to patrol duty following his suspension.