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| LAPD launches inquiry after police shoot homeless man on Skid Row in incident captured on video | LAPD launches inquiry after police shoot homeless man on Skid Row in incident captured on video |
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| Investigators in Los Angeles were tonight trying to get to the bottom of a confrontation over the weekend between five police officers and a homeless man on a downtown street in the city’s Skid Row neighbourhood, which ended in his death. | Investigators in Los Angeles were tonight trying to get to the bottom of a confrontation over the weekend between five police officers and a homeless man on a downtown street in the city’s Skid Row neighbourhood, which ended in his death. |
| Public dismay over the fatal encounter was ignited after a passer-by captured it on his mobile phone and posted the video on Facebook. The footage shows a struggle and the man being forced to the ground. But it is not clear enough to show exactly who opened fire or why. As the five officers try to subdue the homeless man, one of them is heard firing a Taser stun gun. But as the man and some of the officers fall to the ground a voice is heard to yell, “Drop the gun”. Then multiple shots are fired. Whose gun it was is at issue. | Public dismay over the fatal encounter was ignited after a passer-by captured it on his mobile phone and posted the video on Facebook. The footage shows a struggle and the man being forced to the ground. But it is not clear enough to show exactly who opened fire or why. As the five officers try to subdue the homeless man, one of them is heard firing a Taser stun gun. But as the man and some of the officers fall to the ground a voice is heard to yell, “Drop the gun”. Then multiple shots are fired. Whose gun it was is at issue. |
| “At some point in there, a struggle over one of the officer’s weapons occurred,” LAPD Commander Andrew Smith told The Los Angeles Times. “At that point an officer-involved shooting happened.” Investigators were reportedly studying the footage from a second witness video shot at the scene that surfaced today. | “At some point in there, a struggle over one of the officer’s weapons occurred,” LAPD Commander Andrew Smith told The Los Angeles Times. “At that point an officer-involved shooting happened.” Investigators were reportedly studying the footage from a second witness video shot at the scene that surfaced today. |
| The victim went by the nickname “Africa”. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His full identity had not been released, but witnesses said he had been living on the street for some time in a tent. The altercation began after the police officers responded to a robbery call on a nearby block. | The victim went by the nickname “Africa”. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His full identity had not been released, but witnesses said he had been living on the street for some time in a tent. The altercation began after the police officers responded to a robbery call on a nearby block. |
| The video footage shows a struggle and the man being forced to the ground but it is not clear enough to show exactly who opened fire or why | |
| “It’s always tragic when there’s a loss of life in one of these situations,” Cmdr Smith added. “It’s not an incident taken lightly by any police officer. But we are committed to everyone involved and to the public to conduct a thorough and complete investigation.” | “It’s always tragic when there’s a loss of life in one of these situations,” Cmdr Smith added. “It’s not an incident taken lightly by any police officer. But we are committed to everyone involved and to the public to conduct a thorough and complete investigation.” |
| The incident is just the latest in a series across the United States where the use of deadly force by police departments against people on the street has drawn intense scrutiny. Questions are still being asked about the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, last summer by a police officer. | The incident is just the latest in a series across the United States where the use of deadly force by police departments against people on the street has drawn intense scrutiny. Questions are still being asked about the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, last summer by a police officer. |
| President Barack Obama announced the findings of a task force created by the White House into police practices and pervading racial prejudice in police ranks, and said it was time for police departments across the country to take steps to rebuild trust with minority communities. | President Barack Obama announced the findings of a task force created by the White House into police practices and pervading racial prejudice in police ranks, and said it was time for police departments across the country to take steps to rebuild trust with minority communities. |
| An investigation by the Justice Department into the Ferguson case due to be released this week is expected to conclude that the city’s police department has violated the civil rights of minority citizens in the city. | An investigation by the Justice Department into the Ferguson case due to be released this week is expected to conclude that the city’s police department has violated the civil rights of minority citizens in the city. |
| The city of Cleveland yesterday asserted in court documents that a 12-year-old boy who was shot dead outside a recreation centre in November had himself to blame. The city is being blamed for the killing of the boy, who was holding a toy gun when he was shot. | The city of Cleveland yesterday asserted in court documents that a 12-year-old boy who was shot dead outside a recreation centre in November had himself to blame. The city is being blamed for the killing of the boy, who was holding a toy gun when he was shot. |