New Report Reveals Ezell Ford Had Previous Run-In With LAPD Officer Who Shot Him
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A newly released report from the LAPD says that Ezell Ford, who was shot and killed by police during an altercation, had a history with one of the officers accused of shooting him.
Ford, 25, was fatally shot Aug. 11.
His family maintains he was mentally ill and harmless.
The LAPD says he reached for an officer's gun.
The new report says Ford was arrested by LAPD Officer Sharlton Wampler in 2008 for marijuana possession.
The report does not mention Ford's purported mental illness.
The findings in the report were unclear as to whether Wampler recognized Ford from their previous meeting.
LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith told the Los Angeles Times that both officers involved in the shooting insist they did not recognize Ford from the 2008 arrest or approach him for that reason.
Meanwhile, the group Black Lives Matter ended a long protest Friday evening.
The protest started nearly three weeks ago in response to unarmed black men dying at the hands of law enforcement around the country, including Ford.
Michael Brown, the unarmed teen fatally shot by police in Ferguson, Mo., was killed Aug. 9.
Protesters gathered in front of LAPD headquarters for a closing ceremony.
The group again called for the officers in the Ford shooting to be fired with criminal charges. The officers are assigned to desk duty.
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