Family, Community Activists Call For Transparency In Shooting Death 25-Year-Old Willowbrook Man By Deputies
WILLOWBROOK (CBSLA) -- Community activists are calling for transparency in the events that led up to a 25-year-old man being shot and killed by LASD deputies in Willowbrook on Friday night.
Fred Williams was killed by deputies at about 5:30 p.m. near 121st Street and Willowbrook Avenue, near Mona Park, according to the sheriff's department.
The Sheriff's Department said deputies were doing a routine patrol of Mona Park when they saw a group of 10 to 15 people. They said one of them, now identified as Fred Williams, was holding a firearm in his hand. When Williams saw the deputies, sheriff's officials said he began to run.
Security footage shows one deputy chased Williams down a drive way and into the backyard. Sheriff's officials said that's when Williams engaged the deputy by pointing his firearm. At that point, the deputy shot Williams.
Investigators said they recovered a semi-automatic handgun a the scene.
However, community activists are saying that the video footage does not support the sheriff's statement that Williams had a gun in his hand and pointed it at deputies.
"It's very very difficult to accept the sheriff's official statement that Fred had turned around and pointed a gun at this deputy as he's running away with nothing in his hands, climbing an 8-foot block wall and is shot at the top of the wall, such that his body falls and lands into the next yard," said Cliff Smith with the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police. "The coroner's office last night confirmed to myself and to Mr Fred Williams Sr — the father — that Fred Williams Jr was shot in the back by the deputy."
On October 1, Sheriff Villanueva said on Twitter that the department's first body-worn cameras would be in-use on the streets that night. The five stations to get the cameras included the Century Station. Now, Williams' family and community activists want to see what was captured on the deputy's camera.
"Ultimately, the footage we have shows Fred didn't have a gun and he was trying to run, escape," said community activist Najee Ali. "The only way we can get to the truth of what happened is to release the tape."
In a statement on Tuesday, the sheriff's department said that the body camera footage will be released "after the critical interviews are completed, the evidence analyzed and the Medical Examiner completes his findings."
