A Red Dog officer involved in the raid on the Atlanta Eagle attended the LGBT meet and greet at Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse on Wednesday and said he saw nothing happen the night of the raid.

Brian Walters, now a member of the Community Oriented Policing Services unit in Zone 6 was with other members of COPS at the meet and greet. Zone 6 includes Edgewood, Kirkwood and Grant Park. Walters is listed as Williams Walters in the federal lawsuit filed by bar patrons against the city and individual officers. The suit was settled by the city in December for more than $1 million.

When asked about what happened the night of the raid, Walters said he saw nothing happen.
"I just stood on the back porch," he said, adding his duty was to make sure "nobody came in while they were doing anything."

Walters said he was new with Red Dog, on the job with the unit for about a month, when the raid occurred.

"The new guy is always outside. I didn't have any involvement really," he said.

He added that as part of the federal lawsuit and the internal investigation mandated in the lawsuit's settlement he had his photo taken in a "line up" with other Red Dog officers.

"So they can positively figure out who did what," Walter said. "I'm sure they'll get it all sorted out somehow."

Walters added he is enjoying his new role with COPS.

"I'm happy now. It's a lot nicer. I like this," he said.

Patrons of the bar the night it was raided said they were threatened, that Red Dog officers shouted anti-gay slurs at them, and that they were stepped on by some officers when they tried to get up after being forced to the ground.

Eagle attorney Dan Grossman declined comment.

Top photo: Atlanta Police Officer Brian Walters was a member of Red Dog when the unit participated in the raid on the Eagle, a gay bar on Ponce de Leon Avenue (by Dyana Bagby)