Protest Planned After LAPD Officer Shoots, Kills Man During Struggle

A protest is being planned for Sunday in front of Los Angeles police headquarters in downtown after a man was shot and killed by an officer this week in Florence.

The shooting occurred about 8:20 p.m. Monday after an officer conducted “an investigative stop” in the 200 block of West 65th Street, according to an LAPD news release. During the stop, a “struggle ensued” and the officer shot the person, whom police did not identify.

Family members identified the man as 24-year-old Ezell Ford, who they described as “mentally challenged.” His mother, Tritobia Ford, told KTLA her son was complying with officers’ orders, and that the shooting was unjustified.

Her son, she said, was lying on the ground Monday night when he was shot in the back. He later died at an area hospital.

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Now, some friends and family members are taking to Facebook organize a protest rally at 3 p.m. Sunday at LAPD’s headquarters.

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The shooting comes as national attention continues to focus on the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old who was shot multiple times Saturday during a confrontation with Ferguson police in Missouri.

Days of protests continued Tuesday night, and rioting and looting was reported.

Soon after Ezell Ford’s shooting death, some took to Twitter using the hashtag #EzellFord to frame his death in the context of what was happening in Ferguson. However, police and family have not said whether Ezell Ford was armed.

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