Officers
were called to the scene in Lake Balboa shortly after 1:00 PM
over reports of the man acting strangely, though no specifics were given
other than the fact that he was in the roadway.
LAPD
Lieutenant John Jenal says a police helicopter flew overhead
as officers arrived on the scene and used Tasers on the man “in an
effort to de-escalate the situation,” before shooting at him
with beanbag rounds.
The man, who is
described as Latino and in his mid-30s, apparently did not comply, so
they shot him to death. The department is now looking into whether he
was on drugs, under the influence of alcohol, or had mental health
issues.
Activists, critics, and
residents of Los Angeles have asserted that his mental health is likely
something that should have been considered before using lethal force
on him.
Riot police clashed with protestors
in Albuquerque, N.M. who were angry over police violence. In response to
the March 16 shooting and killing of a homeless man, the protests
started peacefully but later became violent as night came. Heavily armed
riot police using tear gas and batons forcefully ended the protests.
Lindsay France speaks with RT's Ramon Galindo about the problematic
record of the Albuquerque Police Department leading up to the protests.
Riot police launch tear gas toward activists in downtown Albuquerque. Photograph: Russell Contreras/AP
A
protest over deadly police shootings turned from peaceful into
"mayhem", Albuquerque's mayor said late on Sunday, as officers in riot
gear clashed with demonstrators.
People are angry over Albuquerque
police's involvement in 37 shootings, 23 of them fatal, since 2010.
Critics say that is far too many for a department serving a city of
about 555,000.
The US Justice Department has been investigating
the department for more than a year, looking into complaints of civil
rights violations and allegations of excessive use of force.
Alexander
Siderits, 23, said he was participating in the protest because he was
"fed up" with how police treat citizens. "It has reached a boiling
point, and people just can't take it anymore," he said.
An
Associated Press reporter saw gas canisters being thrown and Albuquerque
police and Bernalillo County sheriff's deputies charging at the crowds,
which had mostly dispersed by late Sunday.
Mayor Richard Berry
said one police officer was injured, and at one point protesters trapped
police in a vehicle and tried to break the windows, the Albuquerque
Journal reported.
Riot police stand guard in front of protesters in downtown Albuquerque Sunday night. Photograph: Russell Contreras/AP
A
day after hundreds of people clashed with Albuquerque riot officers
over police shootings, New Mexico's governor said Monday that she
understands the public's frustration but called on protesters to remain
calm while US officials investigate.
Mayor Richard Berry said
Monday that one officer twisted his knee but no protesters were hurt
during the 12-hour demonstration on Sunday, despite the use of tear gas
on the crowd. Four people were arrested in the melee, police chief
Gorden Eden said Monday.
Berry said officials monitoring events
from an emergency operations center decided to use the gas after some
people walked onto a freeway, endangering themselves. Eden says people
laid down on the highway.
On Sunday, protesters marching back and
forth between downtown and the University of New Mexico blocked traffic,
tried to topple street signs and called for the police chief and other
city officials to resign, authorities said.
Governor Susana Martinez watched the protests on television.
"Albuquerque
is going through a tough time, and they'll figure it out through the
investigation," the governor said. "We want that to be thorough. We want
confidence in the investigation, but I just don't want to see anyone
harmed."
Riot
police launch tear gas toward activists in downtown Albuquerque, N.M.
following a 10-hour protest around the city, Sunday, March 30, 2014.
Hundreds of protesters marched past riot police in Albuquerque on
Sunday, days after a YouTube video emerged threatening retaliation for a
recent deadly police shooting. The video, which bore the logo of the
computer hacking collective Anonymous, warned of a cyberattack on city
websites and called for the protest march. Photo: Russell Contreras, AP
ALBUQUERQUE,
N.M. (AP) — A day after a protest over Albuquerque police shootings
devolved into violence, the city's new police chief on Monday commended
officers for showing restraint and said he is about to unveil reforms
that include changes to the embattled department's recruiting process.
Chief Gorden Eden
spoke to reporters after more than 300 people took to the streets
Sunday, calling for him and other city officials to resign. The protest
turned violent that evening, when people began hunting down officers,
throwing rocks and bottles, and spitting on officers, he said.
The
chief says officials decided to disperse the crowd with tear gas after a
man pulled out an AK-47, others blocked traffic by lying down on
Interstate 25 and unruly crowds trapped people and officers in cars.
Protesters also started attacking each other, impeded emergency crews
and blocked the entrance to a hospital.
There was only one minor
injury, an officer who hurt his knee, Eden said. Four protesters were
arrested during the 12-hour demonstration. Justin Elder, 24, followed the protest as a passenger in a car and held a sign that read, "APD: Dressed To Kill."
"That's what this police force is about," Elder said.
Sunday's
protest and another last week were in response to the 37 shootings
Albuquerque police have been involved in since 2010, 23 of them fatal,
including the recent case of a homeless camper killed after he appeared
to be surrendering. By comparison, police in the similarly sized cities
of Denver and Oakland have been involved in fatal and non-fatal
shootings totaling 27 and 23, respectively.
