Thaindian News

LOS ANGELES (BNO NEWS) — Protesters and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers clashed Tuesday night during demonstrations against Sunday’s fatal shooting of a Guatemalan day laborer by police officers.

Around 300 people came together to protest outside LAPD’s Rampart Station in Westlake, Los Angeles - near the site of the fatal shooting - but at 9:30 p.m., the police declared the protest an unlawful assembly and began dispersing the crowd, which at that time had begun throwing eggs and other objects at the police station and police cars.

Crowds began setting trash cans on fire, throwing bottles and rocks, as police pushed crowds near Union Avenue and 6th, firing non-lethal bean bag and foam projectiles. At least 22 people were arrested during the confrontation.

Manuel Jamines, 37, who was shot and killed on Sunday, according to police, refused to drop a bloody 6-inch switchblade at the time of the shooting.

Police Chief Charlie Beck called for calm and defended Frank Hernandez, a 13-year veteran and two 5-year veterans, Steven Rodriguez and Paris Pineda, who were identified as the police officers involved in the incident.

“There was very, very little opportunity to do much more than what was done,” Beck said at an evening news conference.

During the clashes, it was reported that a 20-year-old protester was lying on the ground, bleeding from the head, but ambulances failed to reach him and begin treatment as they stayed behind the police line. A group of people then carried him to an ambulance that was at the scene to demand medical attention.