LAPD caught on video killing homeless man | World News |Axisoflogic.com

Editorial Commentary:
It seems that not a day goes by that we don't read about a shooting in the US. One day it's a mass shooting (or even a few days in a row), the next it's a single death. And all too often, it comes at the hands of police. To be sure, there are times that the police kill can be justified - an armed opponent, fear for their own safety, protection of other citizens.

It's ironic that the article below (and the killing below) should occur just two days after lawyers for the City of Cleveland were arguing in court that a 12-year-old playing with a toy gun was "directly and proximately" responsible for his own shooting death. The lawyers also argue that the boy (Tamir Rice) failed to "exercise due care to avoid injury".

Sometimes you have to shake your head and wonder why the hell anyone wants to live in the US.

- prh, Editor
Axis of Logic

Los Angeles police fatally shot a homeless man on Sunday in a disturbing encounter that was caught on video.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the man, whom witnesses called "Africa," was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The incident, which occurred around noon in the city's Skid Row area, was captured on video and briefly uploaded to Facebook. WARNING: content is disturbing.

LAPD spokesman Sgt. Barry Montgomery said the officers were responding to a robbery call on the 500 block of San Pedro Street.

The video shows a confrontation in which the homeless man appears to throw a punch at police as officers try to contain him. One officer drops his nightstick, which a woman picks up off the ground. Two officers push her to the ground to restrain her. Meanwhile, several officers fight the man to the ground. At least one officer can be heard repeatedly shouting, "Drop the gun," after which five gunshots can be heard.

One witness, Yolanda Young, told CBS2 that the altercation occurred over an argument in a tent.

“Next thing I know, dude swung on a cop and the cop swung back. And they were hitting on him and then two other cop cars pulled up and they got out of the car and ran over there, and they had three Tasers out," Young said.

Africa had spent 10 years at a mental facility before settling into Skid Row four or five months ago, neighbor Ina Murphy told the LA Times. Another resident also said that police had asked Africa multiple times to dismantle his tent, in accordance with a court ruling that allows folks to sleep on Skid Row at night as long as they take down their tents during the day.

In a video posted to Facebook [later deleted], LAPD officers can be seen pointing their guns at a homeless man after shooting at him multiple times on Sunday.

Cmdr. Andrew Smith told the LA Times that two officers were treated for injuries sustained in the struggle.

There will be an investigation to determine if the use of force was properly deployed. Investigators are looking for additional video that captured the incident, including footage from the body cameras some of the officers may have been wearing. At least one officer was wearing a body camera, Smith told the newspaper.

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