Othal Wallace, 29, was captured this morning in Atlanta, MTO News has learned. The African American man was apprehended outside Atlanta, and will be extradited to Daytona Beach Florida, where he is expected to be charged with the shooting of a police officer.
But not everyone is calling Othal a “cop killer.” MTO News has learned that a growing number of people on Black Twitter are claiming that Othal may have been justified in gunning down the officer.
Othal is accused of shooting Daytona Beach Officer Jason Raynor on Wednesday night. The 26-year-old officer remains in critical condition.
Othal, who is affiliated with the Black Panther party, was aggressively stopped by Officer Raynor earlier this week. The officer put his hands on Othal, who did not appear to be engaging in any illegal activity, and a struggle ensued – where the officer was shot.
Here’s video:
According to the Daytona Beach police chief, Wallace was found in a treehouse on a wooded area of three-acre property outside in Atlanta. The property is owned by a black nationalist paramilitary organization.
U.S. Marshals, the FBI, Homeland Security agents and several police stations executed a search warrant on the property at 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Wallace was found in a treehouse on the property with two rifles, two handguns and an arsenal of other weapons. More weapons were found in the main structures on the property.
Four Daytona Beach police officers used Officer Raynor’s handcuffs to arrest Wallace in Georgia.
Here are some comments from Black Twitter: