[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]he Los Angeles Police Department released a body-cam video Tuesday that shows the killing of an innocent hostage by LAPD officers, this time at a homeless outreach center at a Van Nuys church, where officers fired 18 rounds at a man holding a knife against the hostage’s throat.
The graphic footage of the incident, which occurred June 16, is the second time in the past seven days that LAPD has released footage of an officer involved shooting of an innocent bystander. Last week, new Chief Mike Moore released similar dash cam and body cam footage of the shooting of Trader Joe’s assistant store manager Melyda Corado by officers in a shootout on the streets of Silver Lake. The LAPD's public releases of body-cam footage of officer involved shootings is in compliance with rules that went into effect earlier this year for more timely releases of so-called "critical incident" videos.
Tuesday’s released footage shows a tense scene between multiple officers and a man, later identified as Guillermo Perez, wielding a knife and holding a rusty metal chair as a shield. The incident began when Perez allegedly stabbed at last one person during a free lunch offered by the Central Lutheran Church on Tyrone Avenue, reports said.
"Hi, I have someone who stabbed somebody at my location. I need police now!" a woman caller says frantically, in audio of a 911 call that was released. When officers arrived, they confronted Perez in a courtyard, where he was holding a knife and chair. Officers shot beanbag projectiles at Perez, while yelling at at Perez to put the knife down, as the bean bags clanked against the chair.
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