4/15/2022

In Atlanta, police footage released to the public last week depicts police officers bumping a car on Interstate 285 by Camp Creek Parkway in efforts to get it to stop. Immediately following that, officers began firing on the driver, Devin Nolley, who climbed out of the wrecked car window and fled towards the woods and down into an embankment. Nolley was shot 2 times in the legs and 2 times in the back, leaving him with serious, life-altering injuries. He is now paralyzed from the neck down. Approximately 20 shots were fired during the incident, even though Nolley was unarmed.

On December 18th, 2018, the incident began after the police officers noticed a stolen vehicle in a gas station parking lot. The officers proceeded to follow the vehicle being driven by Nolley, which led them to the interstate chase.

“At no point in time was Devin ever armed, and at this point, Mr. Nolley is a quadriplegic. And that should not have happened. Mr. Nolley was not a threat to anyone.”

-James Bryant, Cochran Firm Los Angeles

Since the shooting in December 2018, Nolley filed a lawsuit in 2019 seeking $30 million in damages. Recently, a Fulton County grand jury indicted two of the East Point Police officers involved, Rodney Etienne and Shiron Nicole Varner, who are no longer employed with the department. The indictment charges both East Point officers with 2 counts of violating oaths, 1 count of reckless conduct, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery.

The lawsuit claims Nolley was unarmed and posed no threat to the police officers, and yet was left paralyzed. There was no legal justification for the use of excessive force, according to the lawsuit, claiming that the shooting unreasonable and excessive.

“What this video shows is probably one of the most egregious police shootings I’ve seen in some time. You can’t shoot an unarmed fleeing suspect, especially when he doesn’t pose an immediate threat to anyone.”

-Bryant

Nolley was 35 years old at the time of the shooting. He currently resides in a West Georgia assisted living home and requires full-time care. He is no longer able to care for his daughter and will by paralyzed for the rest of his life

Watch the video at CBS 46 News.