'Am I Next'? Anaheim Residents Outraged Over Latest Police Shooting
ANAHEIM (CBS) — Hundreds of Anaheim residents are demanding answers after a local gang member was shot and killed by police.
KNX 1070's Mike Landa reports the latest in a string of officer-involved shootings led to a outburst at a community meeting on Tuesday night.
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Chief John Walters fielded questions over the death of 21-year-old Martin Hernandez from a crowd of over 100 angry residents outraged after the fourth such shooting in the last three months.
Among those in the audience were Hernandez's girlfriend and mother of their 3-year-old son, who believes Hernandez was the victim of excessive force and wants witness to the shooting to come forward with any information.
"Just how it happened, the fact that he was on the floor already down and giving up and still shot him in the head," she said.
Walters denied allegations that the documented gang member was shot twice — including once in the head while he was on the ground.
According to police, Hernandez was armed with a shotgun when he refused to follow orders and was shot and killed when he turned the gun toward officers.
Hernandez's girlfriend said he threw the shotgun over the wall before police retrieved the weapon and began taking photos of the scene with the shotgun near Hernandez.
Residents challenged Walters' account of the shooting and expressed concern that the trend could continue.
"I feel like, you know what, am I next? Am I supposed to arm myself?" said one man.
A district attorney's office investigation is still ongoing.
