ONLY ON 3: Graphic body camera video reveals aggressive traffic stop in Bloomingdale
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BLOOMINGDALE, Ga. – On the evening of June 8, 18-year-old Lawrence Rivers found himself pulled over by a Bloomingdale Police officer as he headed out for a home-cooked meal with friends.

In a shocking turn of events, Rivers was confronted, threatened, and handcuffed, as captured by the officer’s body camera footage.

The footage reveals former Bloomingdale Police Officer Ashton Tatum appearing to threaten Rivers at gunpoint after stopping him under suspicion of road racing on Pine Barren Road.

In the video, Tatum can be heard shouting, “Get out of the car… I’ll break your wrists… Don’t move, or I’ll shoot,” while aiming his gun at Rivers.

Rivers is heard responding, “I don’t have a gun on me.”

Tatem appears to force Rivers to the ground to handcuff him and shout “You’re 18? You’re going to jail.”

has muted and edited portions of the video to eliminate profanity.

In that moment, Rivers said he thought he was going to die.

“It was a lot to take in. Like why me? why did I deserve that?” He said.

Records obtained by show reveal after an internal investigation into the incident, the Bloomingdale Police Department (BPD) determined Tatum’s use of force was excessive and violated department policies, and recommended he be terminated.

BPD also recommended Tatum invest in anger management courses and counseling after producing a record of “overly aggressive and over-reactive behavior in multiple cases.”

His personnel record also shows he has been fired or voluntarily resigned from four other local law enforcement jobs at BPD, the Guyton Police Department and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.

Since the internal investigation into June 8, Tatum has since resigned in lieu of termination according to records.

For Rivers and his family, they still don’t believe justice has been served.

Nearly five months later, Rivers said the incident has traumatized him.

“I just want him to be held accountable,” said Rivers, “It’s been a lot of sleepless nights, waking up in cold sweats, and nightmares. I just want everything to be handled accordingly.”

Rivers is a recent graduate of Benedictine Military School and told he just purchased his first car which he was stopped in, a memory that is now tarnished.

“I can’t tell my child that it’s going to be ok. That’s the heartbreaking part,” said Rivers’ father Lawrence Rivers Sr., “but when an individual threatens your life, that’s something that you’ve never experienced, and it’s a lot.”

Rivers charges were dropped immediately.

reached out to BPD about the incident, and they declined to comment at this time

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