Update, February 28, 1:00 p.m. EST
The LAPD identified the involved officer as Kevin Ferguson in a February 27 update to its original press release.
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On Tuesday (February 21), La Raza Unida uploaded a video of an Anaheim, California, man—who has since been identified as an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer—grabbing a teenager, pulling him through a hedge and shooting his gun in the vicinity of several teens who were attempting to free the 13-year-old boy. No one was hit by the bullet. The officer appears to be White. Many of the students are children of color.
According to statement released by the Anaheim Police Department yesterday (February 22), the altercation stemmed from the man being upset about teenagers walking across his lawn. The officer says that the boy threatened to shoot him, which is disputed by both the teen and bystanders on the video above. The detained teen was arrested and sent to the Orange County Juvenile Hall on charges of criminal threats and battery. A 15-year-old boy was also arrested for assault and battery and later released to his parents.
The shooting is being investigated by the Anaheim Police Department (APD) Homicide Detail. LAPD is conducting an internal investigation into the officer, and according to a statement tweeted yesterday, the officer has been placed on administrative leave. None of the parties’ names have been officially released to the press at this time.
Info regarding an off-duty #LAPD officer involved shooting on 2/21/17 in Anaheim-Your patience is appreciated as the investigation continues pic.twitter.com/fbkeum3wS5
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) February 23, 2017
Per local station KTLA, the mother of the detained teen says the Orange County District Attorney’s Office rejected the charges against her son and he was released from custody on the night of the incident. His parents say the struggle stemmed from the boy sticking up for a girl at whom the officer was yelling.
“I still fear for our lives, for him living right down the street from us,” the boys mother told KTLA. “Him being an officer.” The family has retained an attorney.
KTLA reports that hundreds of people took to the streets yesterday in a massive call for charges to be levied against the officer. The APD reports that about 24 people were arrested on misdemeanor charges.
Demonstrators lined the block in Anaheim shouting "no justice no peace," as police blocked the intersection pic.twitter.com/INmixM69F6
— Melissa Etehad اتحاد (@melissaetehad) February 23, 2017
Approx 24 arrests made for misdemeanor charges including failure to disperse #anaheim #arrests #protest #apd
— Anaheim PD (@AnaheimPD) February 23, 2017
See arial footage of the protest below, courtesy of local station Fox 11.