According to the US media reported on the 26th, recently, a 19-year-old teenager in Los Angeles called the police for help, saying that his drunken father beat him and his mother. But in the end, the teenager was shot and killed by the police who rushed to the scene because the police saw that he appeared to be holding a rifle in his hand.
However, it was later confirmed that the teenager was holding a simulated toy gun. At present, the police officers involved have been ordered to take administrative leave, and the local investigation of the case is ongoing and will determine whether the use of lethal force by the police is justified.
Screenshot of the ABC report
According to the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on the 26th, the teenager who was shot was named Luis Herrera and lived in southeast Los Angeles. On the 17th local time, Herrera repeatedly called the police on 911, saying that his father was drunk and beat his mother, and in order to protect his mother, he was also beaten. On the phone, Herrera asked for police to come and help them.
According to the police camera footage released by the Los Angeles Police Department on the 25th, two male police officers arrived at Herrera's residence at about 1:20 p.m. As two police officers stepped forward to knock on the door, Herrera, dressed in black, pushed open the front door and walked out, holding something in her hand, "what appeared to be a black rifle," according to a Los Angeles Police Department press release.
"Hey, put the gun down, put the gun down," the policeman immediately shouted at Herrera, and quickly ran to the side of the house to dodge. The video shows Herrera not putting down the "rifle" in her hand, but holding the "rifle" on her shoulder and continuing to move forward.
The two policemen can be heard in the video calling for support, and then a policeman pulls several shots at Erey, who has walked into the front yard of the house. Herrera was hit by a barrage of bullets and fell to the ground, but he still clutched his "rifle" and struggled on the ground in the front yard, while the police repeatedly shouted at him to "put down the gun".
As the police continue to aim their guns at Herrera, Herrera's mother can be heard screaming in pain off camera: "That's my son!" ”
At one point, Herrera's father tried to approach his son who had fallen to the ground, but the police shouted at him to get him back into the house. He then told police that the gun in his son's hand was a toy gun and that "it was a toy," but the police still asked him to return to the room.
Soon after, the support police arrived at the scene, and since the "rifle" was still next to Herrera, the police who arrived later did not come forward, but looked for bunkers to be on guard. After a few minutes of stalemate, Herrera's father could be heard shouting "That thing can't fire" again, and his mother asked, "My son is still alive!" Is he still alive? ”
Later, more police officers arrived, and police approached the fallen Herrera with guns. His parents again stressed to the police that "it was just a toy", but the police ignored it and handcuffed Herrera after kicking the "rifle" away.
The live video shows Herrera bleeding profusely, and his mother repeatedly broke down and shouted: "It's just a toy, why attack him, why do you do it!" And after paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at the scene, Herrera was pronounced dead on the spot.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, it was later confirmed that Herrera was holding an "airsoft gun." The soft air gun fires a plastic spherical projectile, which is not lethal and is a simulated toy gun. Police also found a fake pistol at the scene that mimicked Glock's pistol.
In addition, an investigation reportedly revealed that contrary to what Herrera said in the 911 call, there was no evidence of domestic violence between Herrera's parents.
In addition, the police officer who shot Herrera has been identified as Luis Navarrete and has now been ordered to administrative leave.
The Los Angeles Police Department's investigative unit is investigating the fatal shooting, and after the investigation is over, it will be reviewed by the police chief, the police commissioner's committee and the inspector general's office to determine whether the use of lethal force was justified.
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