Fatal LAPD police shooting of homeless man caught on video

In a disturbing video, LAPD is seen fatally shooting a homeless man in the downtown L.A. area.

Fatal LAPD Shooting of Homeless Man

The video, posted on Facebook, shows numerous officers fighting with the man. They eventually wrestle him to the ground where he continues to struggle against the officers.

At which point, an officer can be heard yelling, “Drop the gun. Drop the gun.”

Then witnesses can be heard yelling, “Ain’t nobody got no guns!”

It is unclear why the officers were yelling “Drop the gun,” as no gun was reportedly found at the scene by police.

According to witnesses, the victim is 29-year-old Dennis Horne, a man that went by the name “Africa.”

Horne said that Africa had been arguing with someone in a tent when police arrived, reported the LA Times.

When Africa refused to comply with a police order to come out of the tent, officers used the taser on him and dragged him out, Horne said.

The officers tackled Africa to the ground, where he continued to fight, which led to the fatal shooting, according to Horne.

“It’s sad ,” Horne said. “There’s no justification to take somebody’s life.”

Ina Murphy, who lives in an apartment nearby, told the LA Times that Africa had arrived in the area about four or five months ago.

He told her he had recently been released after spending 10 years in a mental facility, Murphy said.

The LA Times reported that Witness Lonnie Frank, 53, said five to six officers pulled up in three to four cars as Africa was lying face down on the sidewalk.

The officers approached with guns drawn yelling, ”down, down.”

When Africa got up and started fighting, the officers “went straight to lethal force,” Franklin said.

I know we’re supposed to wait for more details to emerge, but the video speaks volumes.

We decided to take the video off the site. Please click here to see video. Warning it’s very graphic.