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Protesters Want Murder Charges For The Deputies Who Shot Dijon Kizzee And Anthony Weber In Two Different South LA Incidents
Sequarier McCoy, aunt of Dijon Kizzee, speaks on the community gathering to protest his killing at the hands of sheriff's deputies. (Brian Feinzimer/LAist)
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Dijon Kizzee and Anthony Weber have something no one wants to have in common -- they were both killed by L.A. County sheriff's deputies in the same South LA neighborhood, Weber in 2018 and Kizzee in 2020.
Today both of their families joined protests against police brutality in Westmont, where both of them were shot, just blocks apart.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at 11 a.m. Saturday on 109th street, yards from the place Kizzee was killed by sheriff's deputies on August 31.
Almost 2 weeks after 2 LASD deputies fatally shot #DijonKizzee protesters are meeting just yards from where he was killed in South LA. They’ll be marching soon. One organizer says: “We want the community to see us and feel us.” pic.twitter.com/Q74qo94GZm
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 12, 2020
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Kizzee, 29, was reportedly riding his bicycle in violation of a vehicle code, when he was stopped by deputies. The Sheriff's Dept. says the deputies tried to make contact with Kizzee, when he dropped the bicycle and started to run away from them. Deputies chased after him.
Reportedly Kizzee then punched one of them in the face and dropped a handful of clothing, that deputies said, included a black handgun. Deputies immiedately opened fire.
Kizzee's family told the L.A. Times that he was shot at least 15 times in the back, as he was running away.
Video of the incident was later released, but it's hard to make out and inconclusive about whether or not Kizzee reached for the gun.
Protestors memorialize Dijon Kizzee, who was killed after deputies stopped him while riding his bicycle in Westmont. (Josie Huang/LAist)
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Today, protesters expressed anger at the fact that the deputies who killed Kizzee are not being named and therefore not being held accountable.
They also see the sheriff's decision to place a security hold on Kizzee's autopsy report as an injustice, as it could be months before results are made available to the public.
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Community members also expressed anger at the way sheriffs have handled previous protesters, who have been demonstrating for the past week in front of the South L.A. Sheriff's station, where dozens of citizens were arrested and multiple injuries were reported in confronations with deputies.
On Friday, a sheriff's deputy pushed one protester who wouldn't move back when asked. Another deputy pointed a gun at a member of the press.
Today follows week of nightly protests outside South LA sheriff’s station. @NLG_LosAngeles held press conference outside station Friday to share witness accounts of police brutality.
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 12, 2020
Deputies responded by closing in on the group, 1 grabbed a legal observer. IG: vishal.p.singh pic.twitter.com/H9HIx7iOdI
Protesters told LAist reporter Josie Huang they are not trying to incite violence and are simply exercising their First Ammendment right to protest police brutality, which they say is consequently being met with more police brutality.
Re: protesters. The LA County sheriff has been raising the “outside agitator” narrative. Says out-of-staters are inciting violence.
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 12, 2020
South LA resident Tiara Lucas watches marchers go by. She doesn’t care where they’re from:
“When you see an injustice, it strikes you to move.” pic.twitter.com/9IxUm8tsJw
During the protests, the family has had deputies shine a light into their bathroom window as they peered out.
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 12, 2020
Dante, 13, has been hit with a chemical irritant. The fumes seeped into their place. “I felt like I was going to choke to death.” pic.twitter.com/Fk67QQIx5D
Weber, also Black, was shot and killed by deputies in 2018 at the age of 16, on the 1200 block of 107th Street.
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According to the Times Homicide Report, sheriff's deputies were responding to reports of a young man pointing a handgun at a driver in the area. When they found Weber, they reportedly saw a handgun tucked into his pants.
Weber ran away from them, ignoring commands not to move, finally stopping to face deputies in the courtyard of an apartment building. He was shot several times in his upper body.
The gun was not found and no criminal charges were filed.
Protesters for #DijonKizzee have just turned onto W. 109th Pl, headed back to his memorial.
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 12, 2020
“What do we want? Murder charges!” pic.twitter.com/2B3WyL5I5l
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information arrives.
READ MORE ABOUT DIJON KIZZEE PROTESTS:
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