Ahead of a community meeting next month, more than a dozen protesters carrying signs and chanting, “No justice! No peace!” demanded justice on Saturday for an unarmed man who was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies.
Jose de la Trinidad, 36, was shot and killed Nov. 10 after a traffic stop led to a short pursuit, officials said. De la Trinidad, who was a passenger in a car, was unarmed when he was shot in the 1900 block of East 122nd Street in Willowbrook, deputies said.
His wife, Rosie, and a dozen supporters walked nearly two miles to the Compton's Sheriff’s Station where they confronted more than a dozen deputies standing in a line outside.
“He was shot in the back,” Rosie de la Trinidad said. “I don't understand how somebody who was complying with orders and doing what he's supposed to be doing is a threat. You have to gun him down and shoot him? Now he's dead and my kids are destroyed and I'm destroyed.”
The Sheriffs Department said deputies opened fire because de la Trinidad made a threatening move toward his waistband after getting out of his car.
Protesters said the shooting was overkill and demanded that the deputies involved be arrested and charged with murder.
“We will not stop until accountability for the officers who murdered Jose comes to be!” said protester Damien Ramirez.
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Protesters said they will hold a community meeting on Feb. 4, when they also expect a response from Sheriff’s Department.
