Los Angeles Sheriff’s Shooting of Dijon Kizzee Sparks Protests and Riots

On September 2nd, Dijon Kizzee, a black man who was stopped for a bicycle code violation, hopped off the bike and fled, carrying bundled clothes. LA Sheriffs say that Kizzee punched one of the officers and during the scuffle, a semi-automatic handgun fell from Kizzee’s clothing and when he made a move to retrieve the firearm, the sheriff’s deputies opened fire and killed Kizzee. News reports indicate that LA Sheriffs do not yet have body cameras. A surveillance video from a neighbor has been released, but is inconclusive whether Kizzee was reaching for a gun. Kizzee’s family says that as many as 15 shots were fired as he was running away. Protesters are demanding that the two unidentified sheriffs deputies be arrested and charged with murder. Los Angeles County put a security hold on the autopsy report. Protests have turned into riots, Protesters chanted, “Every city, every town, burn the precincts to the ground” and “No cops, no prisons, total abolition.” The recent ambush attack on two sheriff’s deputies may be related to the Kizzee case.

At least 200 people gathered in South Los Angeles on Saturday again to protest against the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department shooting death of Dijon Kizzee.

The 29-year-old was shot and killed on August 31 after authorities tried to stop him on his bicycle for an unspecified vehicle code violation.

According to deputies, there was a short foot chase that ended up with a scuffle between Kizzee and a deputy.

Kizzee, who was carrying clothing in his hand at the time of the incident, dropped it to the ground and deputies say he motioned toward a weapon that fell, prompting them to open fire.

Community activists and family members say that the deputies shot Kizzee in the back while he was unarmed.

LASD deputies are not required to wear body cameras, and so the exact amount of times Kizzee was shot and other details about the shooting remain unclear, however, an attorney for Kizzee’s family alleges he was shot as many as 20 times.

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