State Sen. Gloria Romero joined activists and attorneys today in demanding changes of the Los Angeles Police Department and what they call its shoot-to-kill policy.
The group gathered outside of the LAPD administration building in downtown LA this morning to denounce the killing of Manuel Jamines, a Guatemalan day laborer and father of three. Last week’s officer-involved shooting death sparked several days of protests which activists say will culminate in a mass march tomorrow morning.
City leaders and the police chief defended the officer’s use of deadly force arguing that Jamines was drunk and wielding a knife. But activists disputed that notion, saying the 37 year-old migrant had nothing in his hands, was in a daze and was assassinated by officers with a take-no-prisoners attitude.
Pacifica’s Ernesto Arce files this report from Los Angeles.