A grand jury has indicted a Georgia police officer who fatally shot Anthony Hill, an unarmed black man, on March 9, 2015.
James Olsen, an officer of seven years with the DeKalb County police, was charged with, "two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of making a false statement, and two counts of violation of oath by a public officer," announced DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James according to CNN. James released a statement where he explained Olsen's false statement count. Olsen had told another officer Hill attacked him before the fatal shooting.
27-year-old Hill was a U.S. Air Force veteran who had fought in Afghanistan. He was fatally shot by Olsen after the officer arrived on the scene after neighbors complained of a naked man "acting deranged, knocking on doors, and crawling around on the ground naked," per DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander. Hill, who was unarmed, reportedly charged at Olsen prompting him to fire two shots.
Hill was living with bipolar disorder, which he was open about.
James said, "My job is to uphold the laws of Georgia and prosecute anyone who violates them. This case is no exception. The facts and circumstances surrounding the shooting death of Anthony Hill warranted felony murder charges."
