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Black man Keenan Anderson 'Tased to death' by US police

Anderson, 31, relative of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, is seen in police footage pleading "they're trying to George Floyd me ... they're trying to kill me" as Los Angeles officers use a Taser on him multiple times.

Anderson lived in Washington, DC and was visiting Los Angeles. The cause of his death has not been officially determined yet.

Keenan Anderson, cousin of Black Lives Matter [BLM] co-founder has died in the hospital, hours after police in Los Angeles repeatedly restrained and Tasered him with a stun gun, police body-camera footage showed and his relatives said, sparking outrage.

Anderson went into cardiac arrest four hours later and died at a hospital in Santa Monica.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Police Department [LAPD] released a body-cam footage of the January 3 incident, showing Anderson pleading for help while police officers are seen restraining him and Tasering him multiple times.

"They're trying to George Floyd me," the video shows Anderson as saying while he is restrained on the ground by a number of officers, referring to the killing of the Black man in May 2020 by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US that sparked global protests.

"They're trying to kill me," says Anderson as he is repeatedly tasered while he is told to "stop resisting".

At one point in the recording, it appears to show a police officer pressing against his neck.

Shortly after Anderson was Tasered, an ambulance arrived on the scene and took him to a nearby hospital.

Anderson lived in Washington, DC and was visiting Los Angeles. The cause of his death has not been officially determined yet.

On Jan. 3, Keenan Anderson was reportedly involved in a traffic accident, and when LAPD arrived, they restrained and REPEATEDLY tased him on the ground. The 31-yo English teacher died of cardiac arrest hours later at the hospital. Was this repeated use of the taser necessary?! pic.twitter.com/dCshaVbbBG
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) January 12, 2023

Anderson, 31, was a teacher, father and also a relative of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who insisted on the social platform Instagram that his cousin Anderson "was killed by LAPD".

"Keenan deserves to be alive right now, his child deserves to be raised by his father," Cullors said. "Keenan we will fight for you and for all of our loved ones impacted by state violence."

Anderson attempted to flee after a car crash and police used force to restrain him, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday.

Moore said officers were investigating if Anderson may have been under the influence of any substance.

Here is body worn camera footage from LAPD’s interaction with Keenan Anderson who BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors claims is her cousin. pic.twitter.com/kUOKuIsmu2
— Hoop (@xhoop) January 12, 2023

'Reduce use of force'

In recent days there have been three deaths of Black and Brown people in incidents with the LAPD.

Takar Smith, 45 and Oscar Sanchez, 35 were shot dead by police at the start of January.

On Wednesday, police released recordings of the incident involving Anderson and the other two deadly shootings.

In a statement, Mayor Karen Bass underscored the need to "reduce the use of force overall" while the police department conducts investigations into all three deaths.

An LAPD toxicology report indicated Anderson tested positive for cannabis and cocaine, while the Los Angeles County coroner's office is set to undertake its own report.

During Wednesday's press conference, a number of BLM members demonstrated outside the LAPD amid calls from activists for stringent police reforms.

SOURCE: TRT World