Despite Video of Him Executing Unarmed Fleeing Father, DA Says Killer Cop 'Justified'

 Last year, A.J. Smyrna made the poor decision to steal a car. For this crime, he deserved to be held accountable. However, he will never get his day in court because when he ran from the police, a politician decided to play judge, jury, and executioner, and killed him for it.

After waiting a whole year for justice, Smyrna’s parents discovered in the week that the officer, Georgia officer Brandon Byrd, who fired multiple rounds into their son’s fleeing vehicle — killing him — won't be charged with a criminal offense.

“After reviewing all of the evidence and also engaging some use-of-force experts, I made the choice there would be no criminal charges brought against Trooper Byrd within the shooting death of Andrew Smyrna,” DeKalb County DA Shirley Boston said.

The incident unfolded on January 23, 2020, when police were in pursuit of Smyrna after learning the vehicle he was driving was stolen. Smyrna attempted to escape officers once they tried to drag him over before Byrd blocked him in. While Smyrna attempted to escape, Byrd opened fire, dumping a minimum of 9 rounds into the unarmed father, killing him on the spot.

“It was a really difficult decision,” Boston said. “The key factor, during this case, was whether the vehicle driven by Mr. Smyrna may well be used as an offensive weapon against the lawman. Absolutely, that car was in a very position to hit, hurt, and possibly kill Trooper Byrd.”

WSB-TV reported Boston said she determined Byrd was in reasonable fear for his life when he fired.

“This was a split-second decision that Trooper Byrd had to form,” Boston said.

Naturally, the killer cop agreed with the public prosecutor and claimed his life was in peril, so he had no choice but to kill the fleeing father.

“He was visiting do anything he had to, to induce me out of his way,” Byrd told WSB-TV.

However, Byrd wasn't in his way, and after you watch the video below, it's entirely clear that Byrd was in no danger of being run over the least bit. He was on the passenger’s side of the vehicle, his auto was protecting him, and Smyrna was driving away.

“You saw him driving at you?” Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne asked Byrd.

“Yes, sir,” Byrd answered.

“Or driving in your direction?” Winne asked Byrd.

“Yes, sir,” Byrd answered.

“And you fired your weapon?” Winne asked.

“Yes, sir,” Byrd answered.

“Why?” Winne asked.

“I thought he was visiting kill me,” Bryd said.

The notion that Byrd was in peril is absurd, and therefore the family and their attorney agree.

Attorney Thomas Reynolds, who is representing Smyrna’s parents and his two children, called the incident “sickening,” and says it in no way justifies the employment of deadly force.

“It’s sickening to look at the video,” Reynolds said. “After seeing the video, there's no justifiable way that he could’ve been in fear for his life when he's standing and shooting from the passenger side of the vehicle and therefore the vehicle is traveling the opposite way.”

“I was appalled,” said father Andrew Smyrna Sr.

“I’d wish to see justice for my son’s life. When my family comes, he’s always missing, and it tears me up,” said mother Ingrid Smyrna. “I guess I burst into tears once I saw it, but it absolutely was surprising in an exceedingly way thanks to what the officer said that he feared for his life. He was standing on the side of the vehicle.”

The family is now planning a decease lawsuit against the officer and therefore the department.