On Friday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LASD) released body camera video of an officer shooting and killing 27-year-old Niani Finlayson, who called during a domestic violence incident Call 911 for assistance.
Video clips The Dec. 4 encounter revealed Deputy Ty Shelton fired four shots at Finlayson within about three seconds of entering Finlayson’s home.
Last week’s killings in Lancaster, a city north of Los Angeles, sparked national outrage, with civil rights activists questioning why deputies failed to de-escalate and instead used deadly force against a woman who sought aid and became a victim. Abuse.
The Los Angeles Police Department released audio of the 911 call in which Finlayson is recorded yelling: “He’s not leaving my house… He’s not leaving me alone… I need the police here now.” In the video She can be heard screaming and repeatedly telling a man to let her go. The family’s lawyer said the man was her ex-boyfriend.
Body camera footage from two officers showed that when they arrived outside the apartment, they could hear a woman screaming inside. When Finlayson opened the door, her 9-year-old daughter was standing next to her and appeared to tell police the man hurt her — appearing to say he “punched” or “pushed” her, though LASD misrepresented her daughter’s The voice and her comments were unclear.
Finlayson appeared to be holding a kitchen knife and seemed to say The ex-boyfriend attacked them, saying: “I’m going to stab him because” he hurt her daughter. A female officer entered the home first and Finlayson and her ex-husband moved to the other end of the room. After a while, Shelton followed, and once Finlayson entered, he shot him four times.
Shelton shot Finlayson as Finlayson’s daughter stood nearby. After he fired, the daughter ran into the kitchen and her mother fell to the floor. The ex-boyfriend screamed, “No, no, why did you shoot?” LASD did not release footage of the incident. The video shows Shelton entering with a Taser in one hand and a gun in the other, but he or the other two officers at the scene do not appear to have used any “less lethal” weapons or other tactics to de-escalate the situation. before Sheldon shoots Finlayson.
The Los Angeles City Department of Health said in a statement that Feleison was later taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said her ex-husband became “defiant” and was arrested for child abuse and assault on a police officer, but was later released pending further investigation. Finlayson’s family said Finlayson hurt her and her daughter.
This isn’t Shelton’s first fatal shooting. On June 11, 2020, a deputy killed 61-year-old Michael Thomas while responding to a call of possible domestic violence. The killing was not caught on camera, but Thomas’ girlfriend later said she and Thomas had been in a verbal argument and that Thomas had tried to prevent police from entering his home. Weeks after George Floyd was murdered, his family said he feared police would kill him. Thomas was unarmed and Sheldon shot him in the chest. He was not charged.
Finlayson’s relatives filed a claim with the Los Angeles County Health Department and Los Angeles County last week. Finlayson’s 9-year-old daughter Xaisha, who was present at the time of the shooting and can be seen on the video, told reporters: “She was my best friend. She was always there for me. She’s gone , and never came back, it was unbelievable. I miss my mom.”
She added: “The police lied and said my mother was threatening them.”
Finlayson’s mother, Tracy Hall, said last week that her daughter had been working toward becoming a nurse and home care provider. She called for Shelton to be fired and prosecuted: “He should not be allowed to roam freely and still have a job.”
Finlayson’s killing is the latest in a series of incidents in which a Los Angeles police sergeant in the Lancaster area has used extreme force against black women. In June, an officer was filmed throwing a woman to the ground outside a store, and the LASD released video the next month showing an officer punching a woman in the face while holding her newborn. fist.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Friday that in accordance with standard policy, the deputy, previously identified by the department as Shelton, has been removed from duty as the investigation continues. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the shootings will be reviewed by prosecutors, the medical examiner and the Office of the Inspector General, adding: “Every deputy shooting is traumatic for all involved and each incident has its own unique circumstances and Complexity…The department will conduct an examination and determine if a shooting occurred.” Evaluate all aspects of the shooting, including employee response, tactics and context. “
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna added in a statement: “As the comprehensive review process continues, the department will learn more about this incident to improve public safety.”
Wednesday, The Advocate Organized Four black girls protested outside the LASD station, calling for justice for Finlayson.
Warnet Cullors, director of Cancel Contract, a local advocacy group assisting the family, questioned why the deputy opened fire so quickly. Canceled the contract and went to the Sheriff’s Station to view the body camera footage.
“They knew they were responding to a domestic violence call from a mother who feared for her life, yet they failed to show any concern or act safely,” she said in an email. She added Sheldon should be fired and disqualified so that he cannot be rehired as an officer. “Why is it that when a black man calls the police for help in desperation, she is treated as a suspect? This is cold-blooded murder.”
