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Former Atlanta police officer who killed Lyft driver says man tried to recruit him into ‘gay fraternity’ – 95.5 WSB

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Former Atlanta police officer who killed Lyft driver says man tried to recruit him into ‘gay fraternity’ – 95.5 WSB

UNION CITY, Ga. — An Atlanta police officer accused of fatally shooting his Lyft driver Wednesday told a witness the driver was “in a gay fraternity and was trying to recruit him,” according to court records.

Koby Minor, 34, told the woman he thought he had been kidnapped, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WSB-TV in Atlanta.

CNN identified the man killed as Reginald Folks, 35, of Atlanta. Minor was charged with murder and aggravated assault following his death.

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Minor, who was already on administrative leave following a December arrest in nearby Milton, resigned after his arrest on murder charges Wednesday, Atlanta police officials said.

Minor told detectives in Union City, where the shooting occurred, that he called a Lyft just after midnight Wednesday as he left the home of another Atlanta police officer. When Folks arrived, Minor got in the back seat and they began driving down State Road 14.

WSB reported that the problems apparently began when Folks began speaking on the phone, through the car’s Bluetooth, in a language Minor did not understand. Minor said that while Folks was chatting, he heard what he believed to be another voice in his ear.

Minor told authorities he asked Folks to stop the car, but the driver did not stop, the news station reported. When the car was stopped at a red light, Minor tried to get out but couldn’t open the door, he said.

Minor said he didn’t know if Folks was gay or not, but when the driver got in the back seat, Minor shot him with a gun three times, WSB reported.

The station reported that Folks was struck in the head.

According to the arrest affidavit, Minor then broke the car window and got out.

A woman who went to the scene right after the shooting told detectives she stopped to help when she saw Minor waving his arms in the air. That’s when Minor allegedly told him that Forks was trying to recruit him into a “gay fraternity”.

Lyft released a statement on Folks’ murder.

“Our thoughts are with Mr. Folks’ loved ones as they deal with this unspeakable tragedy, and we have reached out to them to offer our support during this difficult time,” read the statement obtained by CNN. “We stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation and have permanently banned the rider’s account from the Lyft community.”

According to Atlanta police officials, Minor had been a police officer since July 2018. He was placed on unpaid leave in December following his arrest in Milton.

WSB reported that Minor was arrested following a car accident, after which responding officers found 20 Xanax pills in a bag. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

The drug case is still pending.

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