Vigil Held For English Teacher Who Died After Being Tased By LAPD

Vigil Held For English Teacher Who Died After Being Tased By LAPD: A vigil was held tonight in honor of Keenan Anderson, the cousin of Black Lives Matters co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who went into cardiac arrest and passed away on January 3 after being tased and restrained by Los Angeles police following a car accident at Venice and Lincoln Boulevards in Venice. Participants wore white and used umbrellas in the rain.

The 5 p.m. vigil took place in the same spot as the murder.

One of three use-of-force events involving LAPD officers that resulted in the deaths of the three suspects in the first three days of the new year and provoked international condemnation involved the killing of the 31-year-old English teacher.

On January 2 and January 3, Takar Smith and Oscar Leon Sanchez were both fatally shot by Los Angeles police.

The father of a 6-year-old, Anderson had taught for more than eight years, the last six at the Washington, D.C.-based charter school Digital Pioneers Academy.

The passing of Mr. Keenan Anderson, an English instructor at Digital Pioneers Academy, leaves us highly heartbroken. The CEO and creator of the Academy, Mashea Ashton, stated in a tribute published on the website of the institution. “Our neighborhood is in mourning. But we also feel irritated. Angry that another well-known, adored, and respected member of our community has passed away. Mad over the premature passing of another gifted and attractive Black soul.

“In less than six months at Digital Pioneers Academy, [Anderson] established strong relationships with scholars and staff. He was beloved by all. I have been in close contact with Keenan’s family. We are committed to supporting his family and working together to honor Keenan’s memory.”

According to the police, Anderson, who appeared drunk, was suspected of starting the Jan. 3 traffic accident around 3:40 p.m.

According to witnesses, the driver of the collision was running in the center of the roadway and acting erratically when a West Traffic Division officer flagged him down, according to police.

According to authorities, the officer then got in touch with Anderson, spoke with him, and asked for assistance with a DUI investigation.

Anderson abruptly ran away with police pursuing him as the backup units started to arrive, according to the LAPD.

When authorities caught up to him after he rushed into the center of Venice Boulevard, Anderson is said to have started to struggle. Police claim that they employed a stun gun, body weight, hard grips, and joint locks to overcome Anderson’s apparent resistance.

Officers eventually handcuffed Anderson and crippled him at the ankles. He received immediate medical attention following his arrest from members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, who also transported him to a Santa Monica hospital where he later suffered a heart arrest and passed away, according to the police.

Anderson’s death is still under investigation, according to police chief Michel Moore, but he was tased six times during the struggle with officers, which prompted questions.

The department made an available video of the interaction on Wednesday. 45 days after use-of-force events, the government makes such recordings, sometimes known as “critical incident reports,” public.

“In my preliminary review of this incident, it’s unclear what the role of that Taser was,” Moore said. “To be clear, it depends on the totality of our investigative resources, but also medical records from the hospital and a coroner’s report and their proper forensic level examination. As this investigation continues, however, I will pay close attention to the use of the Taser.”

According to Anderson’s family and supporters, he had a mental health crisis and had flagged the officers for assistance. Supporters claim that as he was being tased, he repeatedly screamed for help and said, “Try not to George Floyd me,” a reference to the Black man who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after an officer knelt on his neck and back for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, robbing him of oxygen.

During the holidays, Anderson visited family in the Los Angeles region.

Cullors posted condolences for her cousin’s passing on her Instagram feed.

“Keenan deserves to be alive right now,” Cullors said. “His child deserves to be raised by his father. Keenan, we will fight for you and all our loved ones impacted by state violence.” Follow Newswatchlist.com for more information. You can also leave your thoughts in the comment section, and don’t forget to bookmark our website.