For the past three days, Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood has been roiled by protests following the fatal officer-involved shooting of a Guatemalan day laborer. 37-year-old Manuel Jamines was shot twice by Los Angeles Police Department officer Frank Hernandez after he waved a knife at Hernandez and two other officers.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Hernandez has been involved in two previous shootings, both nonfatal and determined to be in compliance with department policy. However, concerns about officer misconduct have been raised today after a woman who claimed she witnessed the shooting told reporters that Jamines was not holding a knife when he was shot by Hernandez. Continue reading