Police in Los Angeles are keeping a close eye on developments in Anaheim after police shot dead a man which has led to what local residents describe as a "near-riot". After Saturday's shooting, officers were caught on tape firing rubber bullets on protesters, including women and children.
This morning, residents say another man was shot by police but this has not been confirmed by the police. The man was named locally as Joel Acevedo. Eyewitnesses say the man was handcuffed when police opened fire. Five shots were heard and residents say the shooting happened off Guinida Lane and Palm Drive.
Tensions between residents and police have been growing after Saturday's shooting, which led to residents storming the police station. The situation has been described as "dangerous" with many fearing riots could ignited if the situation does not calm down.
After Saturday's shooting, angry residents threw bottles at officers who responded with tear gas and beanbag rounds. The man shot was named by residents as Manuel Diaz and was shot around 4 p.m in front of an apartment complex on North Anna Drive following a foot chase. According to Anaheim Sgt. Bob Dunn, the man died three hours later at a local hospital.
Local TV news channels were on the scene after the incident. A TV report showed police “officers fired what appeared to be bean bags and unleashed a canine into a crowd of women and children.” The TV anchors described video as being “disturbing.” Police officers attempted to try and purchase cell phone video that was taken at the scene. The video had however already been published online and has gone viral on the internet.
CBS Los Angeles interviewed the man's niece, 16-year-old Daisy Gonzalez, who said her uncle was likely to have ran away from officers when they approached him because of his past experience with law enforcement. “He (doesn’t) like cops. He never liked them because all they do is harass and arrest anyone,” Gonzalez said.
Eyewitnesses have reported that police have continued to shoot people whilst the residents protested yesterday in their front yards at the shooting of Diaz. Residents believe the latest shooting is another example of an increased police violence against them in the community, which descended into chaos after the shooting on nearby La Palma.
Crystal Ventura, a 17-year-old who witnessed the shooting, told the Register the man had his back to the officer. She said the man was shot in the buttocks area. The man then went down on his knees, and she said he was struck by another bullet in the head. Another officer handcuffed the man who by then was on the ground and not moving, Ventura said.
“They searched his pockets, and there was a hole in his head, and I saw blood on his face,” she said.
Police in riot gear fired rubber bullets into the crowd with several protesters lifted their shirts to show large red welts on their torsos and backs.
Susan Lopez, who was the woman attacked by the dog said “I had my baby with me. My baby! The dog scratched me and then grabbed me.” She added, “They shot at me while I was holding a baby!” Another woman yelled, “They just shot at us, they shot at a little kid, too.”
Dunn said, “What exactly led to the shooting, we don’t know. We’re still investigating. But a shooting did occur. And the male was taken to a hospital.”
Picture 1: @Killuminatii
