Police officials, trying to show
openness in the face of high community concern, took the unusual step
Wednesday of revealing physical evidence from the scene where an
officer fatally shot a 13-year-old black youth who was driving a stolen
car that backed into the police car after a brief chase. Police Chief
William Bratton said the investigative information released at a
televised news conference was intended to fulfill a promise of
delivering "as much transparency as we can provide." Officials also
said that, at the Police Department's request, the FBI joined the
investigation into the killing of Devin Brown shortly before 4 a.m.
Sunday in South Los Angles. The evidence was detailed for the public
after officials showed it to the area's City Council representative and
to more than 50 members of clergy from the area. South Los Angeles
residents and leaders of the African American community expressed
outrage over the shooting, which followed a brief pursuit. "The
residents are very disturbed over this tragic and needless shooting,"
said John Mack, president of the Los Angeles Urban League. "We have a
pattern here where some police officers don't value the lives of young
African American males. There's a frustration here that's building up
and makes it difficult to build a partnership with police."
Dozens of area residents gathered in protest Monday around the corner
of West 83rd Street and South Western Avenue where Devin was shot. At a
makeshift memorial site, placards and notes were left criticizing
officers for heavy-handed police work. "LAPD, thank you for giving us
another reason for disliking your service," read one. Rep. Maxine
Waters (D-Los Angeles) urged the community to "demand justice and
become even more creative in ways to shame the establishment for
tolerating this kind of abuse in our city." [more] and [more]
Pictured above: In this copy
photo taken from a television screen show at a news conference on
Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005, conducted by Los Anegeles Police Chief Michael
Barkow and Deputy Chief Michael Berkow at the Los Angeles Police
Department, a Los Angeles Police car is seen next to a suspect's
vehicle after an officer was involved in a shooting early Sunday.
Bratton and Berkow spoke with reporters about the details of the fatal
police shooting of a 13-year-old suspected car thief. [more]
Latino Man Shotby LA Police Trying to Douse Himself with Gasoline [more]
