Fatal Los Angeles Police Shooting Caught on Video
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Obtained by ABC News(LOS ANGELES) — A Los Angeles police officer shot and killed a man during a confrontation in the city’s Skid Row area Sunday, in an incident that was caught on video.
Police said officers were responding to a report of a robbery, and when they confronted the suspect, there was an altercation.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that during that altercation, at least one less than lethal device, a Taser, was deployed. However, at this time, we still do not know if that Taser did strike the suspect,” LAPD Sgt. Barry Montgomery said.
“After that, the struggle continued and an officer-involved shooting occurred,” he said.
LAPD Commander Andrew Smith said the man reached for an officer’s weapon while resisting arrest.
“Anytime we have an officer-involved shooting and there’s a loss of life, people are upset and justifiably so. Nobody out there, no police officer out there, wants to be involved in a situation like this where you have to take someone else’s life,” Smith said.
Witnesses such as Larry Jackson said the man was already subdued when officers shot him.
“Next thing I knew, I heard one shot and I looked over across the street and I see three more shots being fired at the guy who was laying down on the ground. Instead of handcuffing the guy, they straight out shot him,” Jackson said.
A video that was posted to Facebook records the struggle, and then the moment when an officer shot the man.
Police have not released the name of the suspect. The LAPD’s specialized Force Investigative Division and Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division are reviewing the shooting.
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