Family of victim in fatal APD officer-involved shooting speaks

ATLANTA - The family of a man killed in an officer-involved shooting Wednesday in northeast Atlanta is pleading for answers.

Deravis Rogers, 22, was shot and killed while fleeing from Atlanta Police after an off-duty officer suspected him of trying to break into a car, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. APD requested the state agency to handle the investigation of the shooting that occurred at an apartment complex on Monroe Drive.

Rogers' father, Deravis Thomas, told FOX 5 he doesn't know why his son was at the complex. Thomas also said he isn't certain what happened during the incident. In fact, he has heard various versions of the story.

"The off-duty officer said he saw what he believed to be someone breaking into a car. That's not enough for me. Whatever the situation was or whatever the circumstances were, my son should not be dead right now," Thomas insisted.

The GBI said the off-duty officer chased Rogers in a parking deck and around the apartment complex. And Rogers got inside a car, which belonged to an associate, and drove off. During the course of that action, an on-duty APD officer arrived on scene and shot Rogers in the head, according to the GBI. Rogers crashed a short distance away. The GBI added Rogers was unarmed during the course of the incident.

"I want to know what the threat was," Thomas stressed. "He was trying to leave...Everyone wants to know what this 22-year-old kid had been doing that was so much of a threat to you that he was shot in the head?"

Rogers' relatives said the young man had run-ins with the law but changed his life. In fact, he was about to start a new job.

"We deserve answers. We are getting ready to bury him," Thomas said.

The GBI plans to turn over its review to the District Attorney's Office.

Rogers' family is planning his funeral. A link to their fundraiser is below:

https://www.gofundme.com/2b8h2dm8

Father on reports his son, killed in @Atlanta_Police involved shooting, was trying to break into car...@FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/75i5e3x7qV