A Pennsylvania police officer fatally shot a man on Sunday afternoon. After the shooting street there have been protests which have been dispersed with teargas.
Lancaster Police responded to a home in the 300 block of Laurel Street at around 4.15 p.m. for a domestic disturbance call, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
At the scene, an officer fired at a man identified as 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz. He died at the scene.
Munoz had allegedly became “aggressive with his mother and was attempting to break into her house,” according to the Lancaster Bureau of Police.
Police posted the officer’s body camera video on social media. It showed Munoz chasing the officer down a sidewalk with a knife. The officer fired several shots while running away. According to local outlets authorities placed the officer on administrative leave.
Street protests erupted
Street protests took the streets of Lancaster following the shooting, a crowd forming outside the police station. The department said that protester damaged multiple buildings and government vehicles.
Several posts on social media suggested Street protests erupted due to Munoz’s body being left. And reportedly uncovered, on the street for hours after the shooting.
Some damaged a vehicle parked in front of the police station and threw bricks through the front of the police station and into a post office window, according to police.
You can read: Protesters sue the City of Philadelphia for the use of tear gas and military force
Pictures posted on Twitter by Lancaster Online reporter Carter Walker showed damage to the vehicle and others showed that protesters also made a barricade out of street signs, trash and other items. Later, protesters set on fire a dumpster.
Police said protesters ignored multiple warnings that chemical munitions would be deployed if they did not move from the ramp. Then, as they did not move, chemical agents including pepper spray was used to disperse the crowd.
“People on the ramp, W. Chestnut St. and the park adjacent to the station threw objects. Water bottles, glass bottles, rocks, bricks, gallon jugs of liquids and parts of plastic road barricades at Officers,” police said.
The Lancaster county district attorney, Heather Adams, acknowledged the protests and called for calm.
“We ask that acts of protest remain peaceful as violence and destruction of property will become headlines and serve no purpose for the safety and wellbeing of our citizens and neighborhoods,” she said.
Noticias Newswire
