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LAPD releases body cam video in fatal South LA shooting
Oscar Sanchez was shot and killed by the Los Angeles Police Department on Jan. 3.
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Police Department has released body camera footage of a police shooting in South Los Angeles earlier this month that left one man dead.
Oscar Sanchez died on Jan. 3. Officers were called to the area of Central Avenue, near 28th Street around 4:45 p.m. that day, after reports that a man had been throwing metal objects at cars. According to police, when one driver got out of their car, the suspect allegedly threatened them with a knife.
By the time police arrived, the suspect had gone to a second floor porch outside a nearby abandoned building. That's where officer body camera footage released Wednesday picked up. In the footage, officers were seen walking to the backyard of the property, where they found the suspect, who they said was holding a metal pipe. Officers spoke with the man for a few minutes asking him to drop what he was holding.
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Family of LAPD shooting victim wants body camera video released
Oscar Sanchez of Los Angeles was shot and killed by police in South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office. His family is demanding the department release the body camera footage.
The Los Angeles Police Department has released body camera footage of a police shooting in South Los Angeles earlier this month that left one man dead.
Oscar Sanchez died on Jan. 3. Officers were called to the area of Central Avenue, near 28th Street around 4:45 p.m. that day, after reports that a man had been throwing metal objects at cars. According to police, when one driver got out of their car, the suspect allegedly threatened them with a knife.
By the time police arrived, the suspect had gone to a second floor porch outside a nearby abandoned building. That's where officer body camera footage released Wednesday picked up. In the footage, officers were seen walking to the backyard of the property, where they found the suspect, who they said was holding a metal pipe. Officers spoke with the man for a few minutes asking him to drop what he was holding.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Coroner identifies man shot and killed by LAPD in South LA
The man then retreated into the building. Officers followed, going up the stairs. One officer was seen holding a police shield. LAPD released several angles of the next events. When police opened the door, one officer is heard yelling at Sanchez to "put that down" just seconds before both officer's guns and less than lethal weapons are heard firing. Officers were then seen putting Sanchez on his stomach and putting him in handcuffs.
Later video showed officers carrying Sanchez out the back door and back down the stairs. According to LAPD, officers did this because they were concerned that responding paramedics wouldn't be able to treat Sanchez in the confined space. Sanchez was taken to the hospital where he later died.
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Sanchez's family spoke out earlier this week, demanding LAPD release the body camera footage. The family claimed that Sanchez had had a mental health crisis and that officers had been warned.
The footage of Sanchez's incident was one of three LAPD released Wednesday. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement, saying she had "grave concerns" about what she called the "deeply disturbing tapes."
"My heart goes out to the families and loved ones who are mourning the loss of Takar Smith, Keenan Anderson and Oscar Sanchez," Bass' statement read. "No matter what these investigations determine, however, the need for urgent change is clear. We must reduce the use of force overall, and I have absolutely no tolerance for excessive force."
The full LAPD community briefing can be viewed on the LAPD's YouTube channel here.