Jimmy Atchinson shot: Trial held for former APD officer accused of murder

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Sung Kim (Atlanta Police Department)

ATLANTA – Now a retired Atlanta police officer Accused of killing a man hiding in a closet He is due in federal court for a hearing Tuesday morning.

Sung Kim was working on an FBI fugitive task force when he shot and killed 21-year-old Jimmy Atchison during a 2019 raid on an apartment complex in northwest Atlanta.

Police said Atchison stole a woman’s purse and cellphone and then fled from officers toward the apartment complex. Kim, a longtime Atlanta officer, found Atchison in the closet after a foot chase and shot him.

Family members claimed Atchison raised his hands in surrender when he was shot in the face. Kim said Atchison made a threatening move and he believed Atchison had a gun. The man was not armed.

Tanya Miller, the Atchison family’s attorney, said a report prepared by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined that Atchison was given conflicting commands. He said one task force member told Atchison to get out with his hands up, while the other told him not to move.

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

Atchinson’s death caused the Atlanta Police Department to re-evaluate its role on federal task forces as federal policy conflicts with the department’s policy on body-worn cameras. All APD officers are required to wear body cameras while on duty.

MORE: Congress launches investigation into city police officers on federal task forces following Jimmy Atchison shooting

Kim retired from the police a few months after the shooting. Fulton County grand jury in 2022 A lawsuit was filed against Kim on charges that include felony murder and manslaughter.

Last year, a judge ordered Kim’s case to be moved to federal court. He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.