STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April, 10, 2024

CONTACT:
James Woo, Advancing Justice-Atlanta, jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org

Atlanta, GA - Last week, three separate police vehicle chases resulted in the deaths of five people in Georgia, including a sixteen-year-old and two bystanders. At least one of these incidents involved the use of a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT), a dangerous police tactic that stops a moving vehicle by forcing a crash.

 Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta denounces these unnecessary police killings and demands accountability for the law enforcement agencies involved.

 Over the last year, Advancing Justice-Atlanta has obtained information from a number of state and local law enforcement agencies about recent police vehicle pursuits. Many of the pursuits we reviewed were initiated because of suspected minor traffic or other nonviolent violations and escalated to dangerously high speeds. Some pursuits resulted in injuries or death, including deaths of passengers or other bystanders. 

 In September of 2023, the Department of Justice recommended police agencies limit vehicle pursuits to violent crime suspects or to stop an imminent violent crime. 

 "We are deeply concerned that law enforcement agencies in Georgia are engaging in dangerous vehicle pursuits and tactics that are disproportionate to the original suspected violation, in a manner that increases danger to motorists and bystanders, without duly considering less dangerous alternatives," said Meredyth Yoon, Litigation Director for Advancing Justice-Atlanta.

 We urge federal and state authorities to investigate these vehicle pursuits thoroughly and to take all appropriate actions to prevent and mitigate future harm.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast