Atlanta Officer Fired In Tasing That Killed Deacon: Police

ATLANTA, GA — An Atlanta police officer has been fired after a deacon was tased during an August police struggle, resulting in the deacon's death, at the scene of a Cunningham Place/Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard crash.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum announced Tuesday officer Kiran Kimbrough was initially placed on administrative leave but was fired Monday for "failing to follow the department's standard operating procedures" while arresting Johnny Hollman, 62, on Aug. 10.

Kimbrough, 23, had been with the Atlanta Police Department since March 18, 2021, according to his redacted personnel file sent to Patch.

The crash happened around 11:45 p.m., according to the incident report. Hollman, driving a white Chevrolet Silvardo, attempted to turn left onto Cunningham Place.

He then hit a black Hyundai Elantra, which was attempting a turn onto Joseph E. Lowery, when he tried to make a right turn too sharply, per the report.

Hollman, who police said in the past was the at-fault driver in the crash, was accused of being uncooperative and resisting arrest. Police said when Hollman did not sign a citation, Kimbrough was then supposed to have a supervisor arrive at the scene but failed to do so, violating standard procedures.

Per an email included in the personnel file, the confrontation between Kimbrough and Hollman turned physical.

Police said Kimbrough tased Hollman, and with the help of a witness, handcuffed him. It was after he handcuffed him that Kimbrough realized Hollman was not responsive. Police said Hollman was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Citing an autopsy, a past media report stated Hollman died of an irregular heartbeat that was due to the use of a “conducted energy device.”

Kimbrough was placed on "force usage review assignment" on Aug. 11, the day after the fatal struggle.

“Every single person and life in the City of Atlanta matters to me,” Schierbaum said in a news release Tuesday. “Part of my job is to assess, evaluate and adjust how this police department is carrying out its sworn mission to serve and protect the citizens of this city. I understand the difficult and dangerous job that our officers do each and every day throughout the city. I do not arrive at these decisions lightly. Only after a diligent review of all of the facts, while ensuring the due process of our officers, do I arrive at my decision."

At a past news conference, Hollman's daughter, Arnitra, said the crash happened 20 minutes after the two of them had left Bible study. When she arrived at the scene, she said she saw her father on the ground.

"I’m having to deal with that pain every single day," she said.

The city was directed not to release body cam footage of the incident until the investigation is closed, police said in the past.

"Our thoughts are with the Hollman family," police said.

The death of Hollman, who was a deacon and a chairman at Atlanta's Lively Stones of God Ministries, resulted in a procedural change at the APD.

Police said its standard operating procedures were updated to reflect officers can write “refusal to sign" in the signature line of the traffic citation instead of arresting the person.

"If a traffic citation is issued, APD officers will have the driver sign the citation only to acknowledge receipt of the citation and awareness of the court date. If the violator refuses to sign the citation, the APD officer will inform the driver that signing the citation is not an admission of guilt. However, if the driver still refuses to sign the citation, the APD officer will write 'refusal to sign' in the signature line in Section IV, Summons of the Uniform Traffic Citation, and issue a copy of charges in lieu of a physical arrest."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Fulton County District Attorney's Office are investigating the case.