Dijon Kizzee, a 29-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies Monday afternoon.
What We Know:
- Yesterday in South LA, two deputies stopped Dijon Kizzee, who was riding a bicycle, for “violating vehicle codes”. At about 3:15 p.m., Kizzee was approached and immediately began running.
- Sheriff’s Lt. Brandon Dean explained to reporters that deputies ran after him and Dijon responded by punching one of the deputies in the face. The physical encounter caused the assailant to drop various items that included a black semi-automatic handgun. After seeing the weapon, both deputies opened fire on Dijon Kizzee.
- Neither deputy was injured; however, Kizzee was pronounced dead on the scene. Details of the autopsy by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office have not yet been released, although the family intends to also conduct an independent autopsy. The family is being represented by attorney Ben Crump who is nationally recognized for working on George Floyd’s case.
“Being in possession of a gun, but actually using a gun, having it in your hands are two different things.”
Activist Najee Ali (representing Dijon Kizzee family)
- Fletcher Fair, Dijon Kizzee’s aunt, spoke out about her nephew’s passing saying “I’m sad and mad at the same time, This is not America. This is ridiculous. I don’t know what, what kind of society … We are human. I don’t give a damn what race you are. We are human beings.”
- This is not the only case under review by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department. The FBI is reviewing the death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was shot six times by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy. In both cases, Los Angeles deputies were not wearing body cameras which are set to be mandatory in the fall, according to KABC.
Following, the shooting, Monday night demonstrators protested the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department in South LA.
