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L.A. Sheriff’s Deputies Detain Alleged Assault Victims at Gunpoint

HeadlineAug 12, 2020

In California, a viral video shows Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies detaining three teenagers at gunpoint after bystanders called 911 to report the teens were under attack by a man with a knife. Two of the three teens are African American, and the arresting officers are white. Video of last Friday’s incident in Santa Clarita shows two officers with handguns trained on the teens, who have their hands above their heads. A third officer sights one of the teens through the scope of his assault rifle, his finger on the trigger. As bystanders protest that the deputies have the wrong suspects, the officer with the rifle shouts at them to back up.

Bystander 1: “That’s not them!”

Bystander 2: “It’s not them!”

Bystander 1: “It’s not them!”

Officer: “Hey, get away from me! Get away from me! Back up!”

Bystander 3: “It’s the other guy! It’s the other guy! It’s the other guy!”

Bystander 4: “Put your guns down! They’re kids!”

Officer: “Back up!”

Bystander 3: “Get your hands up! Get your hands up!”

Deputies detained the three teens in squad cars for about 30 minutes before releasing them without charge. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a brief statement on Twitter he had “concerns regarding the tactics employed” and that the officers’ actions were under investigation.

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