A Lyft driver named Reginald Folks was shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer named Koby Minor, who was being driven home by Folks at the time of the incident. Minor was arrested and charged with murder as well as aggravated assault in Union City, a suburb of Atlanta. The 34-year-old officer is being held without bond. The victim, Folks, was 35 years old and a resident of Atlanta. The officer did not have an attorney listed in court records to comment on the charges, and attempts to contact his family were unsuccessful.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are somewhat unclear, but according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WSB-TV, Minor waved down a passing car after the shooting and told the driver that he believed Folks, the Lyft driver, was trying to recruit him into a gay fraternity and that he felt he was being kidnapped. Minor claimed that he asked Folks to stop the car and let him out, but was unable to do so at a red light as the door was locked. He then shot Folks multiple times when the driver reached into the back seat. Following the shooting, Minor broke a window and exited the vehicle.
Minor stated to police that he didn’t know if the Lyft driver was gay, but he shot him about three times when he reached into the back seat. Minor was on unpaid leave at the time of the incident, as he had previously been arrested on drug charges on Christmas Day the prior year. He had been employed by the Atlanta Police Department since 2018, but he submitted his immediate resignation in light of the charges. The victim, Folks, was pronounced dead at the scene by the county medical examiner’s office. It was not immediately clear if Folks was actually a member of a gay fraternity as Minor had claimed.
The arrest of Koby Minor has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Reginald Folks and the overall conduct of the Atlanta Police Department. The case highlights the importance of thoroughly investigating incidents involving law enforcement officers and ensuring accountability for any wrongdoing. The tragic incident has left the victim’s family grieving and seeking justice for their loved one. The implications and repercussions of this case are likely to be long-lasting and will require careful examination by authorities and the community at large.
