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LA Police Commission rules unarmed Los Feliz man's shooting was within policy
File: Walter DeLeon kisses the hand of his mother Elisa while discussing the details of his shooting last June on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, in Covina.
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The Los Angeles Police Commission ruled Tuesday that the shooting of an unarmed man on June 19 of last year was within the L.A. Police Department's policy, the commission's Tamryn Catania told KPCC. The vote was 4-0.
One of the officers involved said that the man, Walter DeLeon, walked toward a police vehicle with his right hand wrapped in a towel and his arms pointed in a 90 degree angle, holding what the officer thought was a gun in a shooting stance toward them, according to LAPD Chief Charlie Beck's report to the commission.
One of the officers fired three times at DeLeon, according to the officer cited in Beck's report. DeLeon was shot in the head. No weapon was found after the shooting.
Beck and the Use of Force Review Board agreed that the officers' actions were "reasonable and not a substantial deviation from approved Department tactical training," according to Beck's report.
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DeLeon filed a claim against the LAPD in December. He lost a quarter of his skull after being shot.
Read Beck's full report below:
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