Protests erupted in South Los Angeles after sheriff’s deputies fatally shot a black man who punched one of the officers in the face and had a gun.
The incident happened Monday afternoon and began when they tried to approach the man who was riding his bike for violating a vehicle code. He then got off his bike and ran. They lost sight of him briefly, but when they finally caught up and tried to make contact he assaulted one of the deputies.
“Our suspect was holding some items of clothing in his hands, punched one of the deputies in the face and then dropped the items in his hands,” Sheriff’s Lt. Brandon Dean said during a briefing. “The deputies noticed that inside the clothing items that he dropped was a black semi-automatic handgun.”
That’s when deputies opened fire.
“We still have to conduct our interviews of the investigating officers to see exactly what happened and transpired during the deputy-involved-shooting,” Dean said. “But if this individual was reaching for a semi-automatic handgun, I would suggest that, you know, that’s probably why deadly force was important.”
They were not able to move the man’s body until the coroner’s office arrived.
The Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles said deputies “left his body facedown in the dirt.” They called for “all hands on deck” immediately.
Los Angeles County Sheriffs killed a Black man...Dijon...on 109th and Budlong and left his body facedown in the dirt.
— #BlackLivesMatter-LA (@BLMLA) September 1, 2020
We need all hands on deck.
Please get here ASAP!
Protesters are gathered in Westmont where deputies shot and killed a Black man https://t.co/CWrERcUGoW pic.twitter.com/XlTkdwjSDk
— KTLA (@KTLA) September 1, 2020
Crowd is building at 109th and Budlong. Eerie scene. pic.twitter.com/ULowgQWgyA
— People's City Council - Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) September 1, 2020
The man was identified by his family as 29-year-old Dijon Kizzee.