Georgia Cop to Driver: 'Remember, We Only Shoot Black People'

A police lieutenant in Georgia has been moved to administrative duty after being heard on video during a traffic stop saying "we only shoot black people." News outlets report dash-cam video from July 2016 shows a white female driver telling Cobb County police Lt. Greg Abbott she was scared to move her hands in order to get her cellphone, reports the AP. Abbott interrupts her and says, "But you're not black. Remember, we only shoot black people." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that he continued, "Yeah. We only kill black people, right? All the videos you’ve seen, have you seen the black people get killed?"

Channel 2 Action News reports that after it submitted an open-records request to obtain the video (see it here), Cobb County Police Chief Mike Register took a look at the footage, which was taken during a DUI stop. Abbott will remain on administrative duty pending an investigation, says Register, adding that "no matter what context it was said, it shouldn't have been said." Abbott's attorney, Lance LoRusso, said in a statement Abbott is cooperating with the investigation, and that his comments were meant to "de-escalate a situation involving an uncooperative passenger." LoRusso says Abbott has been on the force for 28 years. (More police officer stories.)