Antifa protester, 26, who was killed at ‘Cop City’ shot 57 TIMES by Atlanta officers

A Venezuelan environmental activist killed by police while protesting the construction of an officer training center was shot 57 times, the autopsy showed.

Manuel Paez Teran, 26, died on January 18 during an operation to clear the protest camp set up to stop ‘Cop City’.

Activists had been trying to block construction of the police training ground since its announcement by then-mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, in 2021.

Officers said Teran shot and wounded a trooper, and they returned fire.

But Teran’s mother Belkis told her The protector she believed her child – who was non-binary – was “killed in cold blood.”

On Wednesday, Axios obtained the autopsy from the DeKalb County medical examiner — which differed from an independent autopsy commissioned by the family.

Protesters claim police are ‘lying’ and have dismissed the story of their own shooting at officers – despite members being arrested on ‘domestic terrorism’ charges

Belkis Teran, Manuel’s mother, is seen on March 25 at a rally in their honor

The report showed that he had been shot 57 times, with bullets entering Teran’s right eye, chest, abdomen, arms and legs.

The independent autopsy showed that Teran was sitting at the time of the shooting.

But the DeKalb County report disagreed, saying attempts to confirm Teran was “in a certain position at a certain time are riddled with potential inaccuracies.”

The coroner wrote, “There are too many variables related to the movement of the decedent and the gunmen to draw any firm conclusions.”

And while police claim he fired first, the coroner saw no gunpowder residue on the activist’s hands.

During the multi-agency operation, GBI said about 25 campsites were located and removed from the site.

In addition, mortar-style firecrackers, multi-edge weapons, bullet guns, gas masks, and a blowtorch were recovered.

The DeKalb report found it unlikely that the initial gunshot wound was to the head, or that he was immediately incapacitated.

The police who opened fire were not wearing body cameras at the time.

Teran’s family has filed a lawsuit to obtain more data and documentation about the shooting.

The state had refused to release them, saying they could not do so while the investigation was ongoing.

This weekend would have been Teran’s 27th birthday, and activists across the country are planning events in their honor.

Georgia State Patrol troopers dove on the so-called Autonomous Zone at the site of a future $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center during a ‘clearance operation’

Tributes were paid to the “tree defender” who has now been identified as 26-year-old Teran

The protesters, who call themselves forest defenders, claim police ‘killed’ one of them and demand ‘action’

They also claim that the trooper who was taken to hospital with injuries was shot in ‘friendly fire’

The Atlanta Community Press Collective paid tribute to Teran, who they say went by the names “Cami,” “Tortuguita,” or “Tort.”

They wrote: “We are devastated by the loss of our friend who was killed by the police. Tortuguita was a kind, passionate and loving person, cherished by their community.”

They spent their time between Atlanta, where they defended the forest from destruction and coordinated mutual aid for the movement, and Florida, where they helped build housing in low-income communities hardest hit by the hurricane.

“They were a trained medic, a loving partner, a dear friend, a brave soul and so much more.

“On behalf of Tort, we will continue to fight to protect the forest and stop the police town with love, anger and a commitment to each other’s safety and well-being.”