Off-Duty LAPD Cop Fires Gun During Altercation With Teens, Protests Erupt

At around 10pm PST (6am GMT), police ordered protesters to disperse. The incident sparked outrage in the community, and protesters blocked traffic in Anaheim while chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot“.

“It could have been me, my friend or someone from my family”, she said.

An off-duty police officer was filmed nearly shooting young teenagers near his home in California, sparking huge protests on the streets of the city. Cell phone footage, however, suggests there’s more to the story.

Some have questioned why the officer wasn’t arrested. The boy’s mother did not want to be identified but told KTLA after visiting her son at the Theo Lacy detention facility that she was told that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office had rejected charges. “If he is a police officer he should know better”.

“Calling and sending emails to APD voicing your displeasure will NOT impact the outcome“, the department posted on its Facebook page.

Starting at around 2:05 in this version of the video, after minutes of the off-duty officer grappling with and dragging Dorscht around, one of the other kids watching the scene tries to tackle the off-duty officer. “I personally wish the off-duty officer would have awaited our arrival before taking action, but instead, he made a decision to confront the juveniles”, Quezada said. Another teenager chimed in but could not be heard clearly on the recording.

“There was a high degree of consistency in the information that we received in the interviews”, which indicated that the officer legitimately believed that the younger boy “was going to shoot him”, Quezada said. “You weren’t even there”.

The 13-year-old spoke to KTLA and said the incident actually began when the officer yelled at a girl.

“I just want to say how disgusted I am by that individual for the negligence he committed with my son“.

One attempts to break the officer’s grip on Dorscht, while another rushes in, pushing the officer into a hedge in an apparent attempt to dislodge his grip. Another teenager appears to take a swing at the officer. The teen tells the unnamed man to let him go.

The protestors also attacked the home of the LAPD officer, throwing objects at it, spray-painting his garage doors, and scratching his vehicle in the driveway, CBS Los Angeles reports. Police said at least 24 people were arrested during demonstrations Wednesday night. The 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of battery and making criminal threats, but it’s not clear if he’s yet been released. Charges could still be brought against all parties involved, he said.

A confrontation between an off-duty LAPD officer and a group of teenagers came to a head when the former fired off a gun. His name was not released.

Orange County attorney John Barnett, noted for his work in police cases and the lawyer for one of the LAPD officers charged with beating Rodney King, and Samuel Walker, a nationally recognized expert on police accountability, offered their thoughts on the confrontation.

One of the officers’ neighbours, Joe Gulrich, said he supported the officer’s actions.