Thinking Up and Being Now.

Boulder, CO — Last year, American cops killed 1,183 people. Many of these people were unarmed, innocent, and some of them were even children. Most of the police officers involved in these killings will never be held accountable due to a system that perpetuates this behavior. The disturbing video below shows just how ridiculous police interactions in the ostensible land of the free have become as eight cops surrounded a black man and nearly shot him—for picking up trash in his own front yard. Now, the cop who unlawfully detained the innocent man has resigned to avoid accountability.

Officials confirmed Thursday that John Smyly violated policy when he threatened and drew his gun in an attempt to arrest 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson in March. Atkinson had committed no crime, had harmed no one, and was providing a community service by removing trash from the apartment complex in which he lived.

What’s more, no one had called police to report a suspicious person and Smyly had no reason at all to make contact with him.

Despite being entirely innocent and aiding in the beautification of his neighborhood, Atkinson was approached by a Smyly because a black man picking up trash on his own property looked suspicious to him.

“I couldn’t help but notice you sitting on the patio behind this building …I’m just checking to make sure you have the right to be here,” Smyly tells Atkinson in the newly released body camera footage.

Atkinson then tells the officer that he lives in this building, is picking up trash and is a student at the University. But Smyly was not happy with this response and continued to needlessly escalate the situation.

As the video shows, the officer approaches Atkinson, telling him to “put the object down,” while the Atkinson replies “don’t f*cking tell me what to do,” and says, “I have a right to be doing this.”

“Sit down or you’re probably gonna get tased in a second” the officer ordered Atkinson, claiming a trash grabber was a weapon.

“Why?”

“Because you have a weapon … put it down and comply with my order!”

“You’re an idiot,” Atkinson is heard saying on the video. “Why would you think that you can tase me? I’m freakin’ picking up trash on my property, which is where I live! I’m not doing anything illegal and you’re not gonna [f**king] tase me, Officer.”