Killing of Tortuguita
| Date | January 18, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Stop Cop City occupied protest |
| Location | Stop Cop City encampment, South River Forest, Georgia, United States |
| Type | Law enforcement killing |
| Cause | Gunshot wounds |
| Perpetrator | Georgia State Patrol |
| Casualties | |
| Manuel Esteban Paez Terán | |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Shooting is under investigation | |
Manuel Esteban Paez Terán, also known as Tortuguita, was a Venezuelan environmental activist and eco-anarchist. They were shot and killed by Georgia State Patrol Troopers during a raid of the Stop Cop City forest encampment in Atlanta, Georgia on January 18, 2023. The investigation surrounding their death is ongoing as of 2024.
According to The Guardian, Paez Terán was the first environmental activist in modern U.S. history to have been shot and killed by police during a protest. Many organizations and some members of Congress have condemned the killing and called for an independent investigation of the events.