People filled the streets of Anaheim, California on Wednesday night, protesting a confrontation between a Los Angeles police officer and a teenager caught on video.
#LIVE: Police in riot gear moving in on Anaheim protesters https://t.co/C8nRNwa2wB pic.twitter.com/ciPaXzPaGb
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) February 23, 2017
Protesters take to streets in #Anaheim after off-duty LAPD officer confrontation with teens ends in gunfire. @ABC7 11pm #abc7eyewitness pic.twitter.com/6RjEp3BesN
— Eileen Frere (@abc7eileen) February 23, 2017
The video shows the off-duty officer struggling with the 13-year-old boy. There was pushing, shouting and struggling in the confrontation and at one point the officer pulled his weapon from his pants and discharged it once, but did not hit anyone.
His actions are believed to be part of an ongoing issue with kids cutting through his lawn, near Euclid Street and Palais Road, after school. The situation escalated Wednesday when the officer made an offensive comments to one of the teens, according to the boy in the video.
"I didn't do anything to hurt you," the teen said. "All I said was respect the girl because you said get off my property you piece of ****."
The teen was arrested, accused of threatening to shoot the officer. His mothers says he didn't threaten to shoot the officer, he threatened to sue after he was kicked in the genitals.
No one was hit by the shot fired by the officer, but the video of the struggle quickly went viral.
The Anaheim and Los Angeles Police Departments are investigating.
