How three fatalities involving LAPD fueled growing debate on shootings

The new president of the Los Angeles Police Commission on Tuesday proposed a plan to examine instances in which police open fire.

Matt Johnson said officers have fired their weapons 45 times this year compared to 23 times during the same period last year.

There have been several high-profile officer-involved shootings in recent years. Here is a rundown:

Police investigators at the scene where a silver Corvette crashed at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Los Angeles Street after a police pursuit. The driver of the Corvette died in an officer-involved shooting at the end of chase.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Corvette shooting

What happened: Brian Newt Beaird, 51, led police on a pursuit around southeast L.A. and downtown L.A. on the night of Dec. 13, 2013, weaving in and out of traffic in his Corvette at a high rate of speed. He was shot multiple times by officers after he crashed into another vehicle in downtown L.A. and staggered out of the sports car. According to a city attorney summary, the officers thought Beaird’s actions in the car suggested he was arming himself, and they later believed he was reaching for a weapon when his left arm dropped toward his waistband area after he was struck on the upper rear left thigh by a beanbag round from a police shotgun. Police fired about 21 shots at Beaird. The shooting was caught on tape.

Police response: LAPD Chief Charlie Beck concluded the officers violated department policy for using deadly force.

Outcome: The Los Angeles City Council approved a $5-million settlement to his family. Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges.

Skid row shooting

What happened: Officers fatally shot homeless man Charly “Africa” Keunang earlier this year during an incident on skid row that was caught on tape. Police alleged that Keunang reached for an officer’s gun during the scuffle. One Los Angeles police officer repeatedly threatened to use a Taser against him, according to a body camera video. The officer cut off Keunang’s repeated requests to “Let me express myself” after he was ordered to submit to arrest by saying, “You don’t tell me how to do my job” and “We’re going to do this my way,” the video shows. During the struggle, one officer said several times, “He’s got my gun” and “He has my gun.”

Police response: The case remains under Los Angeles Police Department and L.A. County district attorney’s office investigations.

Outcome: Pending.

Lavell Ford, Ezell Ford’s brother, lights a candle after a protest in remembrance of Ezell Ford, who died during a confrontation with police in South Los Angeles in August 2014.

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Ezell Ford

What happened: Ezell Ford, 25, was walking to the family’s home on West 65th Street shortly after 8 p.m. Aug. 11, 2014, when the two LAPD gang officers got out of their car to speak with him, according to the LAPD’s account of the incident. He looked at the officers, walked away and attempted to conceal his hands, police said. The officers followed Ford to a driveway, where, police said, Ford crouched between a car and a row of bushes. As one of the officers reached for him, Ford forced him to the ground and grabbed his gun, according to police. The officer yelled to his partner that Ford had his gun, and the partner fired two rounds at Ford, police said. The first officer used a backup weapon to reach around Ford’s body and shoot him in the back, leaving a muzzle imprint.

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Police response: The Los Angeles Police Commission found that one of the officers involved violated LAPD policy.

Outcome: Pending. The district attorney is still investigating the case. Ford’s family filed a wrongful-death suit against the department, saying he was committing no crime when officers approached him and was complying with police orders to lie on the ground when he was shot. The family also claims the officers acted because of “prejudice, disdain and contempt for African Americans or persons of black skin tone.”

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