Slain 'Cop City' Activist Shot More Than 12 Times: Family

ATLANTA, GA — A slain activist who was accused of shooting a Georgia State trooper on Jan. 18 was shot at least 12 times from multiple calibers, according to attorneys for the activist's family.

Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, 26, was identified at the time as the person who shot a trooper during a joint task force clearing operation at the site of the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, also known as "Cop City," according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Manuel was a nonbinary person who went by the name Tortuguita and used they/it pronouns.

At a news conference Monday morning, Manuel's parents and their attorneys urged the GBI to release to them the investigative report and any audio or visual recordings of the shooting.

"Our goal is to get answers for Manuel’s mother, father and family - what happened to their son and why," Attorney Brian Spears said.

Manuel's body was released to the family Tuesday, Jan. 31, and Spears said a private autopsy was conducted that afternoon, showing Manuel had been shot at least 12 times.

Spears said the family has requested to meet with GBI Director Mike Register, with the attorneys hand-delivering a letter to the GBI, but has not received any response from the state agency.

Shortly after the press conference Monday morning, the GBI released a statement indicating authorities are not solely investigating Teran but rather the actions of everyone involved in the shooting, including both Teran and law enforcement.

"The GBI has received numerous questions since the Jan. 18 officer-involved shooting that ended with a seriously injured Georgia State trooper and the death of Manuel Teran. We owe it to the trooper and Teran to complete a thorough investigation. When we began our case, we contacted and spoke with Teran’s family. We intend to follow up with the family as the investigation progresses," the GBI said.

The shooting itself was not recorded on footage because officers near the scene were not wearing body cameras, the GBI said on Jan. 23. The GBI said the aftermath of the shooting was captured.

In its statement Monday, the GBI said there are "numerous bodyworn camera videos connected to this incident" that are still being reviewed by agents.

Other pieces of evidence include witness statements, forensic test results and results of scene processing, the GBI said.

"Any video recovered relating to the case, to include audio, will be analyzed as part of the investigative process. We are not releasing any videos currently because agents are continuing to conduct key interviews and want to maintain the integrity of the investigation," the GBI said.

"We ask for your patience while we go through the processes needed to complete the investigation. At that time, our case file will be given to a special prosecutor. When the criminal justice process is done, any member of the public can have a copy of the file by submitting an open records request for the full case file."

The agency said investigations involving police usually take about 60-90 days to complete.

What We Know

Authorities from multiple law-enforcement agencies were in the area the day Manuel was shot and killed, attempting to remove people from the site near Constitution and Key roads and Intrenchment Creek.

The trooper who was injured in the shooting was in stable condition and resting, the Georgia State Patrol told Patch on Jan. 24.

The shooting was one of multiple interactions between law enforcement and environmentalists who argue against the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

The facility will benefit the Atlanta Police and the Atlanta Fire Rescue departments. The Atlanta Police Foundation will oversee the $90 million project.

The land the property will sit on spans 385 acres, though DeKalb County and Atlanta officials have said the majority of the land will be used as greenspace. They assured the nearby South River Forest Basin will be protected.

Protests at the site have been taking place for several months. Between December and January, multiple people have been arrested on suspicion of domestic terrorism charges. Most of the people arrested were from out of state, authorities said in the past.

A violent protest erupted in downtown Atlanta on Jan. 21 as hundreds of demonstrators gathered and marched up Atlanta's famed Peachtree Street to mourn the death of Manuel. Days after the protest, Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in Georgia relating to the recent protests.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston recused herself on Jan. 25 from the shooting case but said her office will keep the cases of seven people who were arrested in protests the day of the shooting. The protesters arrested were charged on suspicion of domestic terrorism.

The GBI recently conducted an operation to identify people authorities said were illegally trespassing and/or engaging in criminal activity at the training center site, the agency said Monday afternoon.

No arrests were made in the operation, which included several law-enforcement agencies from Georgia, DeKalb County and Atlanta. The FBI also took part in the operation.

The initial phase of the training center is expected to open in the fourth quarter this year.

Meeting Manuel

Belkis Teran, Manuel's mother, said at Monday's news conference that Manuel was sleeping in the forest at the time of the shooting. She described her child as someone who loved the environement and helping others.

"All Manuel wanted to do was protect the forest, preserve the good of the land for all people, create awareness and help organize different communities," she said.

She called Manuel a "defendant of the forest" who "had a heart full of love for people, animals and trees." She said Manuel had no intent of committing criminal acts.

Manuel was born April 23, 1996, in Venezuela. Manuel graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University with bachelor's of science in psychology and an associate's in sociology, Teran said.

“Manuel worked actively for many years in projects that benefit different communities," she said. "During time as a university student ... they touched the lives of many people: believers and non-believers, lucky and unlucky, hopeful and hopeless, happy and sad.”

She said Manuel would suffer anytime it seemed harm was being done to the environment.

To cope with the loss of Manuel, family members have leaned on one another.

"We are living a horror," Teran said. "It is such a shame that this happened. ... We have to cry, hug each other and process our pain."

Joel Paez, Manuel's father, asked people to plant a tree in Manuel's honor. He said Manuel was able to accomplish many goals.

"We're certain that Manuel will live forever," Paez said. "... Manuel left us a legacy."

During the news conference, Paez looked up to the sky as if to tell his child, "I see you. I see you."