Autopsy reveals ‘Cop City’ protester had his hands up when killed

A second autopsy for the protester of the so-called “Cop City” police training facility who was killed by a Georgia State trooper back in January is scheduled to be released Monday, Mar. 13. The autopsy reportedly found the protester had his hands up when he was shot.

Manuel Esteban Paez Terán was killed Jan. 18, 2023 in an Atlanta-area forest as police were clearing an encampment of activists. According to lawyers for Terán’s family, the autopsy found the protester was most likely seated near Cop City with his legs crossed when killed.

“Both Manuel’s left and right hands show exit wounds in both palms,” the lawyers said in a press release. Last month, Terán’s family said he was shot at least a dozen times.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation originally said officers killed Terán in self defense after he shot a state trooper. However, the city of Atlanta released videos in which an officer suggests the trooper may have been injured by friendly fire.

Activists have been protesting the construction of the Cop City police training facility in the forest for months. Earlier this month, 35 protesters were detained after an attack on the facility. 23 of them are now facing terrorism charges.