A man was shot dead by police officers who were trying to clear protesters camping at a proposed “Cop City”.
Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, 26, was inside a tent at the site of a planned Atlanta, US, $90million (£72million) public safety training center when he was shot and killed on Wednesday morning.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Teran failed to comply with verbal commands from police officers trying to clear the area.
Teran then shot and injured an officer as police fired back and killed the activist, it is claimed.
The injured cop underwent surgery and remains in intensive care, according to Col. Chris Wright, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
He said the officer was scheduled to undergo another surgery.
Chris Wright, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, revealed he would not release the identity of the injured police officer “because disclosure would compromise security against criminal or terroristic acts due to retaliation”.
Activists have requested police release bodycam footage of the incident as they question the officer's version of events.
There has been fierce criticism and protesting over the proposed project, which would be built by Atlanta Police.
Activists have been opposing the planned "Cop City" for the last year as it would involve cutting down dozens of trees and be environmentally damaging.
They also opposed to police investing a large amount of money for practicing "urban warfare", according to activists.
There were around 25 campsites which were found and removed on Wednesday as police recovered weapons, gas masks, a blow torch, pellet rifles and fireworks, according to police.
Seven people, ranging from 20 to 34-years-old, were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass.
More charges are pending and none of the protesters were Georgia residents, authorities said.
He revealed the “clearing operation” was in the same area where a few people were arrested last month and later charged with domestic terrorism.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director, Mike Register, said activists were “illegally occupying” the area and committing acts that endanger the community, including arson and using explosives.
Police said firefighters and cops were hit with rocks and weapons as they attempted to remove barricades blocking entrances to the site.
The 85-acre land is owned by the city of Atlanta but is located just outside the city and includes a former state prison farm.
