Anaheim Police Brace For Weekend Of Protests Amid 2 Deadly Officer-Involved Shootings

ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com) — Anaheim police are bracing for a weekend of protests in the wake of two deadly officer-involved shootings and leaders are calling for restraint as an investigation into a third nonfatal shooting gets under way.

Water barriers surrounding the Anaheim Police Department were filled overnight as the agency braced for three additional planned protests.

The ongoing demonstrations are the result of two officer-involved shootings within the past week that claimed the lives of 25-year-old Manuel Diaz and Joel Mathew Acevado, 21.

Diaz, described by police as a documented gang member, was shot on July 21 when police say he appeared to reach for something in his waistband.

His family denies police claims that he was a gang member. They allege he was first shot in the legs, then fell to his knees and was then shot in the back of the head. No weapons were found at the scene and Diaz died at a hospital several hours later.

The following day, Acevedo was shot and killed by officers after police said he opened fire during a foot chase.

A third officer-involved shooting occurred early Friday following a burglary call. Yet, unlike the last two, it was not a fatal encounter.

On Friday, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait met with members of the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI at City Hall. Both federal agencies are expected to investigate the death of Diaz and all officer-involved shootings this year.

In a statement, the mayor said, "I ask that our community be patient to allow their process to run its course as we seek to learn what happened on that day, as well as previous incidents this year."

"What we will not tolerate is law breakers, anarchists, people who come down to Anaheim for the sole purpose of either garnering a little bit of fame on television for five minutes or destroying things or hurting other individuals or infringing on those persons' rights to peacefully protest," said Sgt. Bob Dunn of the Anaheim Police Department.

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