A former Atlanta police officer who was previously implicated in Rayshard Brooks’ murder in 2020 is making headlines again. This time, Garrett Rolfe was arrested for allegedly punching and strangling a Black bar employee during a brawl in Midtown Atlanta. Following the arrest, his smiling mugshot sparked a lot of reaction and rekindled popular ire.
What Happened at the Bar?
Rolfe got into a brawl at X Midtown, a bar on Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta, on June 29, 2025, at approximately 1:20 a.m. He was with a friend at the bar while he was off duty. The trouble reportedly began when Rolfe’s friend claimed they were overcharged and took a picture of a bartender.
They got into a violent disagreement after the bartender’s girlfriend urged them to remove the photo. When 52-year-old Raefeael Penrice, another bar staff, entered from the terrace to assist, the situation became more heated.
According to Rolfe, the staff member started dragging his companion from the bar. He claimed that the staff member grabbed his shirt, threw him against a wall, and started choking him when Rolfe intervened to inquire about the situation. According to Rolfe, he retaliated by punching the worker in self-defense.
Conflicting Stories About the Fight
The employee, however, gave a different account. He claimed that when he attempted to lead Rolfe and his friend out of the bar, Rolfe grew hostile and struck him first. According to the employee, he was merely protecting himself.
Rolfe was not arrested at the time, but Penrice was, even though both men claimed self-defense. The public and bar employees were alarmed by this and wondered why the employee was the only one charged.
Rolfe s Arrest and Public Response
Following weeks of inquiry, Garrett Rolfe was taken into custody by the authorities. On July 30, 2025, he was brought into Fulton County Jail and charged with simple assault.
His smiling mugshot has angered a lot of people on the internet. According to some, the smile indicates that he has no regrets. “His mugshot says he’ll do it again,” one Instagram user wrote, while another added, “They don’t even care anymore.” In the mugshot, smiling.
Statement from Bar Owner
X Midtown’s owner, James Nelson, agreed that Rolfe should be arrested. Additionally, he requested the dismissal of the accusations against Penrice, his employee.
“We do not believe Officer Rolfe should be policing our streets,” Nelson stated in a public statement. We can do better because our city is a symbol of equality, fairness, and peace.
Rolfe s History with the Police Department
Controversy is nothing new to Garrett Rolfe. He was charged in 2020 with the murder of Rayshard Brooks, a Black man who was shot at a Wendy’s drive-thru after dozing off. Because Brooks was suspected of driving under the influence, Rolfe and another officer attempted to arrest him. Nationwide protests were triggered by the occurrence.
Despite being fired following the incident, Rolfe appealed the judgment and was later reinstated in 2021. Murder charges were dropped in August 2022.
Rolfe has been the subject of 12 internal investigations over the years, one of which was conducted in 2017 for the use of excessive force. Although he was exonerated in the majority of those cases, his behavior has been seriously questioned due to the pattern of occurrences.
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