Protests Hit LA After Police Shoot Man Who Allegedly Punched Officer and Had a Gun
Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Los Angeles Monday night and into Tuesday morning after a black man who allegedly punched a deputy and was possibly armed was shot and killed by officers Monday afternoon.
“Los Angeles County Sheriffs killed a Black man … Dijon … on 109th and Budlong and left his body facedown in the dirt,” Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles tweeted.
“We need all hands on deck. Please get here ASAP!”
Los Angeles County Sheriffs killed a Black man…Dijon…on 109th and Budlong and left his body facedown in the dirt.
We need all hands on deck.
Please get here ASAP!— #BlackLivesMatter-LA (@BLMLA) September 1, 2020
The incident occurred around 3:15 p.m. when deputies tried to stop a man riding a bicycle for multiple code violations, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Navarro-Suarez told reporters, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
The man, later identified as Dijon Kizzee, 29, by KCBS-TV, left his bicycle and ran away from the deputies. When they caught up with him, a fight ensued.
“Our suspect was holding some items of clothing in his hands, punched one of the officers in the face and then dropped the items in his hands,” Sheriff’s Lt. Brandon Dean told reporters Monday, according to KCBS.
“The deputies noticed that inside the clothing items that he dropped was a black semiautomatic handgun, at which time a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
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One witness told KNBC-TV that Kizzee had put his hands in the air.
Two deputies shot Kizzee multiple times and he was pronounced dead at the scene, Navarro-Saurez said.
Cell phone footage from the incident showed deputies rendering first aid to Kizzee. No deputies were injured and a handgun was recovered at the scene.
A large crowd of protesters was at the scene by 8 p.m. and some marched to a sheriff’s station to demand answers.
Signs outside a sheriff’s station on Imperial Highway were spray painted and vandalized, KNBC reported.
A pretty large crowd is gathered at 109th and Budlong, the scene of a deadly deputy involved shooting today @BLMLA has called people to come out. Several @LASDHQ deputies are holding a line in front of the group as investigation continues. The latest on @CBSLA and #KCAL9 pic.twitter.com/1cVwVatrDC
— Lesley Marin (@lesleymarin) September 1, 2020
Some residents have questioned why the deputies opened fire if the man wasn’t holding the gun, as has been reported.
“If he reached down to grab it, that’s different,” resident Arlander Givens told the Los Angeles Times.
“But if it’s on the ground, why shoot? That means he was unarmed.”
An investigation of the incident is currently underway and investigators have not yet interviewed the deputies and witnesses.
“Give us time to conduct our investigation,” Dean said. “We will get all of the facts of this case and eventually present them.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
