X worker stated he was defending colleague and never the aggressor. APD Officer is Garrett Rolfe, the identical officer who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks in 2020.
ATLANTA — For the primary time since his arrest, a Midtown bar worker is talking out a couple of struggle with an off-duty Atlanta police officer that left him in handcuffs—and with unanswered questions.
Ray Penrice says he was simply doing his job when he was known as over to assist a co-worker at X Midtown round 1 a.m. on June 29.
A police report launched on Wednesday said the state of affairs began with a dispute over the value of drinks and shortly escalated after a buyer took a photograph of the bartender.
“I used to be known as over by my co-worker, she stated there was one thing goin’ on,” Penrice stated.
“He simply took an image of her and was making an attempt, threatening or one thing, made her really feel bizarre.”
Penrice says he approached the person, and requested him to step go away.
“I requested him if we may please step to the opposite facet of the gate, you already know, and he requested me, he stated nicely who’re you? I stated nicely I am Ray, I work right here and you have been requested to depart,” he recalled.
As he was talking with this man, Penrice stated one other man, later recognized as off-duty Atlanta Police Officer Garrett Rolfe, approached him from behind.
“He ran up behind me, and put his, did some sort of transfer, put two of his fingers by my ribs so I simply circled to get them on the facet of me so I may see each of them to see what is going on on,” Penrice stated. “I stated nicely ya’ll been requested to depart.”
Moments later, Penrice says he was hit.
“As I used to be telling them that I obtained hit, and you already know I used to be, at work, and I used to be attacked and I needed to defend myself,” Penrice stated.
He stated he finally known as 911.
“When the police confirmed up, I assumed it might be over with. I assumed it might be a great night time, all people go residence, the whole lot be over with…however that is not what occurred,” Penrice stated.
In accordance with Penrice, police took statements from him and witnesses, who he says supported his account.
“The police took my assertion, the assertion of the witnesses, all people had concurred that it was these gents that have been the aggressors,” he stated.
The police report seems to again that up, citing three separate witness statements that stated Penrice was defending a co-worker and was struck first.
Regardless of that, Penrice was the one one arrested.
“And I assumed that I’d be let go, and that is not what occurred…they informed me I used to be getting within the police automotive, informed me I used to be going for the trip,” Penrice stated. “It is a feeling that may’t even evaluate, going to jail out of your job in America the place you are simply doing proper and I am getting within the automotive like a legal, like a nasty man, I used to be astonished.”
Penrice says he felt injustice was achieved—and he desires it corrected.
“I assumed both all of us go residence or all of us go to jail however solely I went to jail and that was loopy to me,” he stated.
“I informed the man, if ya’ll are complaining in regards to the drinks why did you keep? I’d’ve been left. If I had a difficulty at a spot, I’d’ve noticed myself out. That is the best solution to remedy an issue is to subtract your approach out.”
Penrice says he’s not a violent individual—he was simply standing as much as one.
“I am not a bully. I am the man who beat up the bully. As a result of bullying is not proper in any form type or aspect, and you can not stand behind a uniform and be a bully both,” he stated.
“They have been requested properly, this did not even should be an incident, it did not should be something, however now it is achieved become one thing, and now we will should get some accountability.”
Penrice stated he did not know the person he fought with was the identical officer who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks in 2020—till after he obtained out of jail.
“I did not even know who this man was. I had simply obtained out jail, went to go get me one thing to eat down at Willy’s, and I simply informed my good friend I simply obtained out of jail. He stated I do know it is everywhere in the information. I stated what are you speaking about? He stated man the man you bought into incident with was the man that killed the man at Wendy’s—Rayshard Brooks, I feel his title—and I stated nicely you already know what, I am shocked however not stunned.”
Penrice additionally had a message for the Atlanta Police Division.
“For those who’re an officer, you are police, you are speculated to serve and shield, he may have achieved that simply that night time, defending all people by leaving now would’ve been some nice service,” he stated.
Officer Rolfe is at present on paid administrative go away because the division conducts each an inside and legal investigation into the incident.
