A Los Angeles Police Department officer repeatedly tased Keenan Anderson, a cousin of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who died later that day, January 3, from cardiac arrest.
Anderson was a 31-year-old Black father and English teacher. He died approximately four-and-a-half hours after being taken into custody, and the ambulance transferred him to a Santa Monica hospital, LAPD Captain Kelly Muñiz said.
No cause of death was reported in the autopsy.
Anderson’s death is the third encounter with the LAPD involving Black and brown men that resulted in death in less than a week. Other deaths by the city force include the shooting deaths of Oscar Sanchez, 35, and Takar Smith, 45.
LAPD claim they approached Anderson between 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm at the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard on January 3 for “running in the middle of the street and exhibiting erratic behavior.” The department said motorists claim Anderson attempted to carjack somebody and might have caused a car crash.
According to edited released police body-cam footage, Anderson initially follows directives and sits down. As more police arrive, he attempts to flee by jogging into the street and ignores further directives.
When police attempted to restrain Anderson in the middle of the road, telling him to “Relax,” Anderson said, “Please” and “Help” and “They’re trying to George Floyd me!” Another officer with his elbow across Anderson’s throat threatens to tase him if he does not flip onto his stomach. The officer tased him twice for 30 seconds uninterrupted, then for five more seconds.
The officers eventually place ankle hobbles on Anderson and handcuff him.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the incidents were “deeply disturbing” and called for all the officers involved in the three separate incidents to be “placed on immediate leave.”
Police chief Michel Moore claimed Anderson committed a felony hit-and-run in a traffic collision, then attempted to flee by trying to “get into another person’s car without their permission.”
The L.A. fire department personnel gave Anderson medical care at the scene. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office conducts independent toxicology tests and reports and according to the LAPD, a preliminary toxicology-blood screen of Anderson’s blood samples tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.
“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.”
“My cousin was asking for help, and he didn’t receive it,” Cullors said. She explained, “He was scared for his life. He spent the last 10 years witnessing a movement challenging the killing of Black people. He knew what was at stake and was trying to protect himself. Nobody was willing to protect him.”
Anderson taught tenth-grade English at Digital Pioneers Academy, a Washington D.C. majority-Black public charter school.
“The details of his death are as disturbing as they are tragic,” Mashea Ashton, CEO and founder of Digital Pioneers Academy, said. “Keenan was a committed educator and father of a six-year-old son. He was beloved by all.”
“Our community is grieving. But we’re also angry. Once again, a member of our community is no longer with us. Another talented, beautiful Black soul is gone too soon,” Ashton said.
