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U.S. NEWS Friday 24 February 2017

Off-duty officer’s fight with teens sets off protests

one point, the teen said, officer and from witnesses boy was arrested on suspi-
“Let me go. ... I’m only 13.” “were consistent that the cion of assault and battery
Another youth rushed the officer did not shoot at and later released, police
officer, who stumbled back anyone but instead at the said. Quezada said Thurs-
through a low hedge, still ground,” Quezada said. day the two teens have
holding the 13-year-old. After police arrived, the off- since been released.
A teen then took a swing at duty officer put his hands The American Civil Liberties
the officer. Other kids ap- up and was led away to be Union said in a statement
proached, and the man — interviewed. that the video was deeply
still gripping the 13-year-old The 13-year-old was even- disturbing and called on in-
with one hand — pulled a tually handcuffed and vestigators to explain why
gun from his waistband, booked on suspicion of the boys were arrested but
crouched and fired a shot. making a criminal threat the officer who fired the
Statements taken from the and battery, A 15-year-old shot was not.q

Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada, left, and Los Angeles As-
sistant Chief Michael Moore take questions at a news confer-
ence regarding a struggle between an off-duty California of-
ficer and a teenage boy along with other youths, at the police
headquarters in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. The
officer who didn’t want teens walking across his lawn fired his
gun during a struggle with a 13-year-old boy and other youths,
igniting unruly protests after video of the fight surfaced and two
boys were arrested.
(AP Photo/Nick Ut)

AMY TAXIN named, had cursed at
Associated Press a teenage girl who had
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — An walked across his lawn in
off-duty California officer the area of single-family
who didn’t want teens homes, many with tidy flow-
walking across his lawn er beds and well-pruned
fired his gun during a strug- trees, about 2 miles west of
gle with a 13-year-old boy Disneyland.
and other youths, igniting Michael Carrillo, an at-
unruly protests after video torney representing the
of the fight surfaced and teenage girl, said she had
two boys were arrested. “grazed” the officer’s lawn
No one was hurt during the when he began shouting
struggle, but hundreds of expletives at her. Carrillo
people marched through said the altercation turned
suburban Anaheim streets physical after the boy
late Wednesday, some stepped in and told the of-
blocking traffic and car- ficer he shouldn’t curse at
rying signs that said “no a child.
shooting zone.” Police ar- “The little kid said, ‘I’m go-
rested two dozen people, ing to sue you,’ and then
including children, after the guy thought he said,
the crowd ignored orders ‘I’m going to shoot you.’
to disperse. That’s when he started
The fight Tuesday between grabbing the little kid,”
the off-duty Los Ange- Gregory Perez, 16, part of
les police officer and the a larger group of young
group of kids stemmed people walking in the area,
from ongoing issues with told the Orange County
teens walking across the Register.
man’s property in Ana- A video posted on You-
heim, said Anaheim Police Tube showed the officer
Chief Raul Quezada. struggling with the boy,
The 13-year-old believed who repeatedly denied he
the officer, who was not threatened to open fire. At