The latest fatal-shooting incident involving LAPD police happened Sunday on Skid Row when an unarmed homeless man was involved in an altercation with several officers that ended with the use of deadly force.
Six officers were on the scene; two broke away from to subdue a woman who grabbed a police officer’s night stick as four officers entered into a confrontation with the man whose name has not yet been released.
A controversial video of the incident has surfaced online and show the homeless man, known as “Africa,” throw several punches at the officers. Officers tried to use a stun gun but it had no effect as the fight escalated. During the fight Africa allegedly reached for one of the officer’s gun and was shot multiple times by three of the officers, one of them being a sergeant.
Police were initially responding to a report about a robbery. Africa had been fighting with someone else in another tent before officers had arrived. During multiple prior visits, cops have had to order the man to break down his tent on Skid Row. Homeless people are allowed to sleep in this area of downtown Los Angeles in tents during the overnight hours of 9 P.M and 6 A.M according to city law. Many of the homeless people who sleep in this area suffer from an addiction or a mental illness.
During a press conference on Monday afternoon, Police Chief Charlie Beck reviewed the footage of the incident. Beck said that the officers acted compassionately until force was involved but he declined to comment on whether the use of deadly force was necessary. Beck also noted that two of the officers involved were wearing body cams but the release of the footage would not be proper at this time.
Several onlookers who witnessed the shooting questioned why four capable officers were not able to subdue one man without the use of deadly force. The incident is being investigated by the LAPD along with city’s independent inspector general and the district attorney.
The man died at a local hospital and two officers were treated for minor injuries.
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