A Black double amputee who was confined to a wheelchair was shot dead by Los Angeles police as he attempted to flee on his stumps. After firing at least eight bullets at Anthony Lowe Jr., a 36-year-old father of two, two Huntington Park police officers were temporarily dismissed from duty on Monday (January 30). A man in a wheelchair allegedly stabbed someone, according to a police report. Officers claimed that when they got to the scene, they discovered Lowe holding a butcher knife.
Using his arms to move around the ground and trying to escape from two officers, Lowe is shown in video footage captured by a bystander and later uploaded on social media.
Lowe, whose family claims he had mental health concerns, allegedly disregarded verbal orders from cops and “threatened to advance or throw the knife at the officers,” according to Huntington Park police.
Officers who weren’t carrying body cams attempted to Taser Lowe twice, according to a statement from the police, but they were unable to render him unconscious.
As soon as a third cop arrived, they opened fire multiple times, shooting Lowe in the upper body. They put him in handcuffs after he was lying on the ground with his stomach exposed. He passed away right after.
“The suspect attempted to throw the butcher knife at the officers again, at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred,” the LA County Sheriff’s Office release said.
Lt. Hugo Reynaga confirmed two officers fired at Mr Lowe “around 10 times”.
“He tried to run away, and every time he turned around and did the motion like he was gonna throw the knife at him, they Tased him,” Lt Reynaga said. “They were trying to give this guy the less-lethal Taser shock. And because it was ineffective, they had to go to something that was more effective.”
The names of the cops who shot Lowe would be made public soon, Lt Reynaga said. He encouraged the public to let the officers to complete their investigations and stated that the officers are on leave “for a few days” while they receive psychological evaluations.
Lowe’s family is now demanding that the officers be fired and charged with murder.
Tyre Nichols’ tragic confrontation with police captured on camera this month in Memphis, Tennessee, serves as a stark reminder that efforts to change policing have not been effective in putting a stop to an epidemic of violence.
