A Wendy's restaurant where a black man was shot and killed by police in Atlanta was set ablaze by an angry mob on Saturday night. Reports claimed a group of black protesters had burned down the establishment but new video footage being circulated on social media suggests the fire was started by a white female "anarchist".
Rayshard Brooks Shooting
The fast-food restaurant was torched after 27-year-old African American male Rayshard Brooks was fatally shot by a white Atlanta police officer as he tried to escape arrest on Friday, as previously reported, sparking protests that have lasted throughout the weekend.
The shooting prompted the resignation of police chief Erika Shields while the officer who allegedly killed Brooks, Garret Rolfe, has been fired from the police department. The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office announced on Sunday evening that Brooks died of gunshot wounds to his back, following an autopsy and the death has been ruled as a homicide.
Wendy's Arsonist Caught on Video
In videos and photos being shared on Twitter, taken moments before the Wendy's was ravaged by the fire, the individual recording the clip captures the instigator of the blaze and it appears to be a white female.
"Look at this white girl, look at this white girl trying to set s*** on fire," a black protester filming the woman can be heard saying in the video. "Look at this white girl trying to burn down a Wendy's. This wasn't us. This wasn't us."
Police Release Images of Masked Woman
The Atlanta Police Department also released images of a white masked woman and announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual.
The photos show a white female with a black face covering over her mouth, black clothing, a black backpack and a black cap. According to APD spokesperson Carlos Campos, the department believes "it may be the same woman in the video".
"Crime stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the individuals responsible for starting a fire that led to the destruction of a Wendy's restaurant at 125 University Avenue in southwest Atlanta during protests that began Saturday, June 13 and lasted unto the morning hours of June 14," the APD said in the statement.
