A homeless man who died during a confrontation with Los Angeles police on Skid Row was shot six times and had methamphetamine in his system at the time of his death, according to a coroner's report.
Charly Leundeu Keunang, 43, was shot and killed March 1 after he attempted to reach for an officer's gun during a scuffle in downtown Los Angeles, according to police. A bystander captured video of the shooting, which occurred after officers responded to a report of a robbery on Skid Row.
Keunang, known to others on Skid Row as "Africa," died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the coroner's report. The report found Keunang was shot twice in the chest, twice in the torso and twice in the left arm.
Four of the shots were fatal and two were "contact gunshot wounds" that left gunpowder residue on his skin, according to the report. Toxicology tests also revealed methamphetamine and marijuana in Keunang's bloodstream.
Lawyers for Keunang's family called on the Los Angeles District Attorney to investigate the death, release police body camera video and criminally charge the three officers who opened fire. The family has filed a $20 million claim against the city, alleging a "cop-created killing" that resulted from excessive force and "reckless mistakes."
In surveillance video of the scene, Keunang can be seen retreating to his tent, then emerging and swinging when officers pulled him out during the robbery report investigation. Keunang then tried to reach for an officer's holstered weapon during a struggle that began after he refused to comply with police commands, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said.
Beck also said an officer in the video can be heard saying "He has my gun" several times before three other officers opened fire in what the chief described as an "extreme tragedy."
Protests followed the shooting, including a march to LAPD headquarters. Activists demanded answers about the fatal shooting at a meeting of the city's police commission.
Keunang, a Cameroon national, arrived in the United States 15 years ago using the stolen identity of a French citizen. He served 15 years in federal prison under his assumed name for bank robbery before being paroled in April 2013.
