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Black Lives Matters protesters demonstrate at the South LA Sheriff's Station hours after Dijon Kizzee was shot to death by deputies. (Photo: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
"If It's on the Ground, Why Shoot?" Outrage After LA County Sheriff's Deputies Kill Man Who Allegedly Dropped Gun
"That means he was unarmed," said a neighborhood resident following the police killing of Dijon Kizzee, a 29-year old black bicyclist, in Los Angeles on Monday.
Sep 01, 2020
Two deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department fatally shot a 29-year old black man named Dijon Kizzee on Monday afternoon after they purportedly spotted a handgun in a bundle of clothes the man dropped on the ground during a skirmish that occurred after they attempted to stop him for "riding a bicycle in an unlawful manner," according to the Associated Press.
Unlike the Los Angeles Police Department, the LASD is not equipped with body cameras. LASD officials told the AP that when deputies tried to stop "a man riding his bicycle in violation of vehicle codes," Kizzee "dropped his bike and ran," after which the deputies pursued him.
LASD officials alleged that when the deputies caught up to him, Kizzee began to fight and he "punched one of them in the face." According to officials, "the man dropped a bundle of clothes he'd been carrying and they spotted a black handgun in the bundle, at which point both deputies opened fire."
The deputies' gunfire struck Kizzee multiple times. He died at the scene.
Neighborhood resident Arlander Givens, 68, questioned why deputies fired at a man who wasn't holding a weapon.
"If he reached down to grab it, that's different," Givens told the Los Angeles Times. "But if it's on the ground, why shoot? That means he was unarmed."
Regarding the alleged vehicle code violation that provoked the traffic stop that led to a confrontation between the deputies and the bicyclist Kizzee, Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean said that "it was not known which codes the man allegedly broke."
Kizzee's death comes just over two months after the LASD shot and killed 18-year old Andres Guardado, an event that sparked outrage earlier this summer.
On Monday evening, the Black Lives Matter-LA Twitter account called for "all hands on deck" in response to the police shooting.
According to local reporters, a small crowd gathered at the scene immediately following the shooting, and the number of people demanding justice quickly grew to about 100.
Crowd is building at 109th and Budlong. Eerie scene. pic.twitter.com/ULowgQWgyA
-- People's City Council - Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) September 1, 2020
"How many more times do we have to gather out here, mourning the loss of our brothers and sisters?" one protester asked.
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Two deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department fatally shot a 29-year old black man named Dijon Kizzee on Monday afternoon after they purportedly spotted a handgun in a bundle of clothes the man dropped on the ground during a skirmish that occurred after they attempted to stop him for "riding a bicycle in an unlawful manner," according to the Associated Press.
Unlike the Los Angeles Police Department, the LASD is not equipped with body cameras. LASD officials told the AP that when deputies tried to stop "a man riding his bicycle in violation of vehicle codes," Kizzee "dropped his bike and ran," after which the deputies pursued him.
LASD officials alleged that when the deputies caught up to him, Kizzee began to fight and he "punched one of them in the face." According to officials, "the man dropped a bundle of clothes he'd been carrying and they spotted a black handgun in the bundle, at which point both deputies opened fire."
The deputies' gunfire struck Kizzee multiple times. He died at the scene.
Neighborhood resident Arlander Givens, 68, questioned why deputies fired at a man who wasn't holding a weapon.
"If he reached down to grab it, that's different," Givens told the Los Angeles Times. "But if it's on the ground, why shoot? That means he was unarmed."
Regarding the alleged vehicle code violation that provoked the traffic stop that led to a confrontation between the deputies and the bicyclist Kizzee, Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean said that "it was not known which codes the man allegedly broke."
Kizzee's death comes just over two months after the LASD shot and killed 18-year old Andres Guardado, an event that sparked outrage earlier this summer.
On Monday evening, the Black Lives Matter-LA Twitter account called for "all hands on deck" in response to the police shooting.
According to local reporters, a small crowd gathered at the scene immediately following the shooting, and the number of people demanding justice quickly grew to about 100.
Crowd is building at 109th and Budlong. Eerie scene. pic.twitter.com/ULowgQWgyA
-- People's City Council - Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) September 1, 2020
"How many more times do we have to gather out here, mourning the loss of our brothers and sisters?" one protester asked.
Kenny Stancil
Kenny Stancil is senior researcher at the Revolving Door Project and a former staff writer for Common Dreams.
Two deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department fatally shot a 29-year old black man named Dijon Kizzee on Monday afternoon after they purportedly spotted a handgun in a bundle of clothes the man dropped on the ground during a skirmish that occurred after they attempted to stop him for "riding a bicycle in an unlawful manner," according to the Associated Press.
Unlike the Los Angeles Police Department, the LASD is not equipped with body cameras. LASD officials told the AP that when deputies tried to stop "a man riding his bicycle in violation of vehicle codes," Kizzee "dropped his bike and ran," after which the deputies pursued him.
LASD officials alleged that when the deputies caught up to him, Kizzee began to fight and he "punched one of them in the face." According to officials, "the man dropped a bundle of clothes he'd been carrying and they spotted a black handgun in the bundle, at which point both deputies opened fire."
The deputies' gunfire struck Kizzee multiple times. He died at the scene.
Neighborhood resident Arlander Givens, 68, questioned why deputies fired at a man who wasn't holding a weapon.
"If he reached down to grab it, that's different," Givens told the Los Angeles Times. "But if it's on the ground, why shoot? That means he was unarmed."
Regarding the alleged vehicle code violation that provoked the traffic stop that led to a confrontation between the deputies and the bicyclist Kizzee, Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean said that "it was not known which codes the man allegedly broke."
Kizzee's death comes just over two months after the LASD shot and killed 18-year old Andres Guardado, an event that sparked outrage earlier this summer.
On Monday evening, the Black Lives Matter-LA Twitter account called for "all hands on deck" in response to the police shooting.
According to local reporters, a small crowd gathered at the scene immediately following the shooting, and the number of people demanding justice quickly grew to about 100.
Crowd is building at 109th and Budlong. Eerie scene. pic.twitter.com/ULowgQWgyA
-- People's City Council - Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) September 1, 2020
"How many more times do we have to gather out here, mourning the loss of our brothers and sisters?" one protester asked.
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