Police Commission Meeting Disrupted By Ezell Ford Protesters
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Protesters disrupted a meeting Tuesday of the Los Angeles Police Commission on the one-year anniversary of the Ezell Ford shooting.
Los Angeles Police Commission President Steve Soboroff called for the meeting to go into recess shortly after it began around 10 a.m., citing disruption from the audience during public comment.
A short time later, police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered everyone out of the room, according to KNX 1070's Ed Mertz.
Members of Black Lives Matter were on hand at LAPD Headquarters and began chanting for nearly 35 minutes in protest to mark the death of Ford, who was shot and killed by officers in South L.A. near 65th and Broadway streets in Aug. 2014.
Ford's mother, Tritobia Fordof, spoke to Black Los Angeles on Free Radio 102.3 KJLH-FM's "Front Page" show earlier Tuesday morning about the shooting death of her son.
"I'd like to see them fired, I'd like to see District Attorney Jackie Lacey file some criminal charges," Ford said. "If Ezell or I or you were to go and shoot somebody, self defense or whatever, they would file charges and they would let the courts handle it."
Possible charges against the LAPD officers involved in the Ford shooting were still "under review", but there is currently no timeline for the decision, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office told Mertz.
In June, the Police Commission found that officers had no reason to stop and question Ford, and that violation of department policy led to an altercation that ended with his death.
Demonstrators later marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting on Tuesday evening through a vigil.
"We try and we vow that we will fight until the end for answers, accountability and change," Ford's mother said. "It's been a very overwhelming, emotional day."
She followed by saying she hopes any demonstrations that do happen on behalf of her son are peaceful.
