Reports indicate that an investigation is underway regarding the fatal shooting of a pedestrian by a California Highway Patrol officer. The incident, which was partially recorded on video, occurred in the middle of a freeway.
According to the Associated Press, on Sunday afternoon, there were several reports of a man walking along the westbound lanes of Interstate 105 in Lynwood, southern Los Angeles County. The CHP officers promptly responded to the calls.
A scuffle ensued as the officer attempted to remove the man from the freeway.
According to a statement by the CHP, the pedestrian was able to access and activate a Taser he had in his possession during the altercation with the officer. As a result, he used the Taser against the officer. The AP reported this incident.
“The officer fired his service weapon in response to the pedestrian’s use of a weapon against him, as he feared for his safety.”
Officials have not released the identity of the pedestrian who was declared dead at a nearby hospital. At this time, the cause of death has not been disclosed.
A passerby captured a video of the incident which lasts for approximately one minute and shared it on social media platforms.
As captured in the footage, the altercation took place on a closed lane of the highway, with the officer pinning down the pedestrian. The pedestrian can be seen kicking at the officer, prompting the latter to draw his service weapon and fire a single shot.
During the struggle, it appears that the man is raising an object that resembles a weapon.
The officer springs to his feet as the man becomes unresponsive and takes a step back, seemingly firing another shot. In a recent news release, California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the California Department of Justice is conducting an investigation into the shooting.
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