ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council passed a resolution Monday urging Georgia State Patrol to reform its pursuit policies.
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Cooper Schoenke, an innocent driver, died when officials say another driver, identified as Faduma Mohamed, crashed into his car in Little Five Points.
Channel 2’s Candace McCowan was outside City Hall where his heartbroken mother spoke about trying to spare others her pain.
Three weeks ago, Katie Schoenke’s son was struck and killed by a driver being chased by Georgia State Patrol in Little 5 Points.
“Gone, it’s just gone the life we knew, it’s just gone,” she said.
The city council wants to prevent what happened to Cooper Schoenke from happening again, voting on a resolution that urges the state to change the policy around pursuits.
They are asking GSP to only pursue those wanted for violent felonies, or get supervisor approval, as well as limiting PIT maneuvers.
GSP said previously after Cooper Schoenke’s death that “if the law is not enforced, those who break it will go unchecked.”
Saying of the driver who hit him, “the importance of a driver’s responsibility to stop cannot be overlooked or overstated.”
“It’s a community acknowledging GSP has a job to do and asking it to be done in a way that is safer,” said Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari.
Georgia State Patrol said a trooper tried to pull Mohamed over for speeding on Interstate 20.
Investigators said she sped away and got off at Moreland Avenue. She then ran a red light and crashed into Schoenke’s car.
Since the crash, a group of Georgia lawmakers and advocates have urged Georgia State Patrol to update its chase policy.
The city council does not have the power to force the changes, only request them through a resolution.
The resolution references the changes Atlanta Police Department implemented regarding chases in the city.
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