This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-31688942

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
US police shoot homeless man dead in Los Angeles US police shoot homeless man dead in Los Angeles
(about 1 hour later)
A video has captured the moment US police shot and killed a homeless man after an altercation in downtown Los Angeles. A video has captured the moment US police shot and killed a homeless man after an altercation in central Los Angeles.
The graphic film shows a violent struggle between the man and several officers in the city's Skid Row area.The graphic film shows a violent struggle between the man and several officers in the city's Skid Row area.
As the police try to subdue him, a voice is heard shouting "Drop the gun!" Seconds later, five gunshots ring out.As the police try to subdue him, a voice is heard shouting "Drop the gun!" Seconds later, five gunshots ring out.
Police are yet to confirm whether the man was armed. Police have yet to confirm whether the man was armed.
The incident took place in Los Angeles's notorious Skid Row district, which has a large homeless population. Skid Row has a large homeless population.
Police spokesman Sgt Barry Montgomery told the LA Times that officers had been responding to reports of a robbery in the area. Police spokesman Sgt Barry Montgomery told the LA Times newspaper that officers had been responding to reports of a robbery in the area.
He declined to say how many officers were involved in the incident but confirmed that none had been injured. He did not identify the dead man. He declined to say how many officers had been involved in the incident but confirmed that none had been injured. He did not identify the dead man.
The BBC's Alastair Leithead in LA says it is unclear from the video what exactly happened, but police would be allowed to use deadly force if the man had a weapon. The police department said officers had attempted to use a Taser to subdue the suspect but he had "continued fighting and resisting".
LA police commander Andrew Smith said that at some point there had been a struggle over one of the officer's weapons.LA police commander Andrew Smith said that at some point there had been a struggle over one of the officer's weapons.
He told the LA Times newspaper that no other gun had been recovered at the scene. No other gun was recovered at the scene, he told the LA Times.
Police would have been allowed to use deadly force if the man had a weapon.
Five shots
It is unclear from the video what exactly happened, the BBC's Alastair Leithead reports from LA.
The video begins with a man swinging punches at four police officers on a pavement in daylight. Two other officers run up to join their colleagues.
As the man is knocked to the ground, a woman can be seen picking up a fallen police baton and a voice appears to shout "Give me my stick! Give me my stick!"
Several police officers turn to tackle the woman, in the foreground of the video, and her detention partially obscures what is happening with the man on the ground.
A voice can be heard shouting "Drop the gun!" four times before five shots ring out.
The police officers step away from the suspect lying on the ground and nobody approaches the body again for one minute 13 seconds, by which time police reinforcements have arrived.
The man taking the video can be heard swearing as he records it.
After the shooting, he can be heard saying. "Ain't nobody got no [obscenity] gun. I'm gonna record this [obscenity]... They just shot that man right here, man, they just shot that [obscenity] man right here, yeah."
TensionsTensions
The president of LA Police Commission, Steve Soboroff, told the BBC that it was important to investigate the facts before making any conclusions. The president of LA's Police Commission, Steve Soboroff, told the BBC it was important to investigate the facts before making any conclusions.
"I would just encourage and pray that people not rush to judgement. It isn't fair to anyone. It's not fair to the family of the victim, to the victim's memory or to the officers," he said. "I would just encourage and pray that people not rush to judgement," he said. "It isn't fair to anyone. It's not fair to the family of the victim, to the victim's memory or to the officers,"
Last year, highly publicised killings of black men sparked weeks of protests in the US.Last year, highly publicised killings of black men sparked weeks of protests in the US.
The shooting dead of Michael Brown - an unarmed black 18-year-old - by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, last August sparked protests across the US.The shooting dead of Michael Brown - an unarmed black 18-year-old - by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, last August sparked protests across the US.
Tensions were further inflamed in January when police in New Jersey were caught on camera shooting dead a black man as he stepped out of a car with his hands raised.Tensions were further inflamed in January when police in New Jersey were caught on camera shooting dead a black man as he stepped out of a car with his hands raised.