Family of man killed by Atlanta officer grateful for charges

ATLANTA (AP) — The family of a man who was fatally shot by a since-retired Atlanta police officer is grateful for an indictment in the case, his father said Monday.

Sung Kim was indicted Friday on charges including felony murder and involuntary manslaughter in the 2019 death of Jimmy Atchison.

“This is what we have been praying for, ever since that day Jimmy was taken from us,” Atchison's father, Jimmy Hill, said in a statement. “We have had marches, meetings, everything you can think of, to beg Fulton County to take action. I told the world I would never give up on justice for my son — no matter how long it took.”

It was not clear whether Kim had an attorney who could comment on the charges.

Atchison, 21, was killed on Jan. 22, 2019, after an FBI task force that included Kim tried to arrest him for an armed robbery warrant. Atchison ran from officers and into an apartment where he hid in a closet, according to an earlier report from prosecutors. Kim, a longtime Atlanta officer, found Atchison there and shot him.

Family members claimed Atchison had raised his hands to surrender. Kim said Atchison made a threatening move and believed Atchison had a weapon. The man was not armed.

A report by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined one task force member told Atchison to come out with his hands up, while another told him not to move, Atchison family attorney Tanya Miller has said.

Kim was not wearing a body camera because, at the time, FBI policy prohibited their use by agents and task force members.