Hispanic activist Manuel «Tortuguita» Páez Terán’s autopsy is revealed

• Details of Manuel Páez Terán’s autopsy are revealed.
• The activist died during an environmental protest.
• «Manny was a kind person,» his mother said.

Manuel «Tortuguita» Páez Terán’s family’s lawyers have revealed the truth behind his death. Through a press release, civil rights attorneys Brian Spears and Jeff Filipovits revealed the activist’s cause of death and stated that the police were to blame for fatal his shooting during a protest.

On January 18, the 26-year-old environmental activist was killed while he was demonstrating against «Cop City» in Georgia. The young man was inside a tent and, according to police, refused to follow orders.

MANUEL PÁEZ TERÁN’S CAUSE OF DEATH IS RELEASED

Manuel Esteban Páez Terán’s death shocked Georgia, sparking protests and demands for justice. The 26-year-old activist was protesting in a wooded area when he was shot by Atlanta police. According to the autopsy, Páez Terán was shot around 13 times.

“An independent autopsy showed Manuel “Tortuguita” Teran — the activist killed last month near the site of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center — was shot by police at least 13 times,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC.).

Another police killing?

The independent autopsy that the family requested shows the activist was brutally shot 13 times by Atlanta police. This is not drastically different from what the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) stated at the time of the incident, but they blamed Terán «for not following orders».

He was shot to death on Wednesday morning, January 18. According to the GBI. Teran was inside a tent in the woods and failed to comply with verbal orders from law enforcement officers trying to clear the area.

“He was a kind person”

Manuel Páez Terán’s mother responded to the questions and pointed out that her son was «a kind person». Likewise, she stressed that the Atlanta police did not speak with her and did not explain the reasons for the attack against the environmental activist. In her statement, she stresses that she doesn’t believe that Manuel shot a police officer.

“Manny was a kind person who helped anyone who needed it. He was a pacifist. They say he shot a police officer. I do not believe it. I do not understand why they will not even privately explain to us what happened to our child,» said Belkis Terán, Manuel «Tortuguita» Páez’s mother.

Is the family asking for support?

Terán’s family, together with their lawyers, indicated in the press release that they are seeking additional information on the activist’s death. They also highlighted that the GBI is being asked for the footage from the police body cameras, to determine whether Manuel Páez really shot at them.

“Any evidence, even if it is just an audio recording, will help the family piece together what happened on the morning of January 18. This information is critical and is being withheld,» Terán’s family said in the statement, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Bodycam footage has not been released. Filed Under: Autopsy Manuel Páez Terán

Do they deny a crime was committed?

After Terán’s death, activists have questioned the police version of events and have called for the release of law enforcement body camera footage, according to The Associated Press.

It was also reported that the agency said in a press release that it would not release the name of the police officer involved in the shooting «because disclosure would compromise security against criminal or terrorist acts due to retaliation», The Associated Press reported.