By Talia Mollett
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
MARIETTA - The two Marietta police officers involved in the April 16 shooting death of 16-year-old Wheeler High School student Rafael Christian are back at work.
Andrew Phillips and Justin Rutland returned last week to working their respective zones on the street, Marietta Officer Mark Bishop said.
"Our policy says nothing about having the investigation complete," Bishop said regarding the officers returning to work. "The chief felt that the investigation was far enough along that he was able to make the decision to bring them back on."
Christian was shot and killed after officers Andrew Phillips and Rutland believed he was carrying a handgun-which was actually a pellet gun replica of a .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Both officers were originally placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Bishop said the Marietta Police Department called the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to place a "rush" on the investigation, but the review could take months before it is complete.
"The chief has stated that the investigation will not be complete until the grand jury has a chance to see the case and that could take a while," Bishop said.
Brandy Phillips, mother of the shot teen, has hired lawyer Audrey Tolson with the Cochran Firm in Atlanta, founded by the late Johnnie Cochran. Brandy Phillips said she will file a lawsuit.
"My son was shot in the back. He was murdered by the police," she said. "There was no purpose to what they did."
Brandy Phillips said she cannot rest until she gets an answer from the report.
"I can't grieve properly until they are either arrested or fired," she said. "I want justice for my son."
Among the answers the report should disclose is which officer fired the lethal shot at Christian. Both officers fired at the teen as he was running from the scene, but only one bullet struck and killed Christian.
Police originally responded around 7:30 p.m. April 16 to a suspicious person with a weapon at Bentley Manor Apartment complex at 2605 Bentley Road off Delk Road. Police found a group of five people, including Christian, at the complex.
According to Andrew Phillips, who worked with the department's Crime Interdiction Unit, police found the teen with a gun in his hand and a foot pursuit ensued. Two shots were fired after the officers gave verbal commands and Christian did not stop.
Bishop said the department's use of deadly force policy reflects state law. Officers are permitted to use deadly force to protect themselves, another officer or a third party.
Andrew Phillips, 30, is a nine-year department veteran and Rutland, 27, is a two-year veteran of the department.
tmollett@mdjonline.com
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Posted Comments
I am glad these brave men are back to work. Thank you for doing the right thing Chief Flynn.
A mother moves from a urban nightmare to save her son from crime and gangs. The son ends up in an apartment complex where he does not live with a fake gun and dies. So many victims: mother - son - officers and families of each.
The police department will get sued and the city will waste taxpayer money by paying some money to make this go away. Those officers did the right thing and the government they are employed by should have a backbone and not pay a red cent. This country has to stop rewarding ignorance.
God Bless you Christian Family, I know this is like a "slap in the face"
It is sad when a young person dies by any means. What I wonder is where was all her "motherly" concern for her teen son while he was out and about toying with this for real looking handgun. If the Black community are truly afraid of the law enforcement and its treatment of Blacks, then this young man and others like him should do everything possible to avoid a confrontation with police, this would include carrying a "toy" that even resembles a weapon.
Maybe the reason they left Cincinnati is because he was a trouble maker up there too.
Well if he didnt run from the cops maybe it wouldnt have happened. All he had to do was drop the weapon, they would have realized it was a real gun and wouldnt have shot him. When officers respond to a call they have to be ready for everything and are on such high guard for their safety and others, when you see someone running with a gun, in a split second that gun can harm a officer or a innocent victim so they did the right thing.