JEREMY FLORES Obituary, Death; – On Tuesday, family members and community leaders gathered for a rally in Boyle Heights to condemn the deadly shooting by the LAPD of a man who, according to police, was in possession of a replica BB-gun rifle.
The incident occurred on Monday on Spence Street, close to 8th Street, following police reports of an individual armed with a rifle. Consequently, the neighborhood was placed under lockdown.
Footage from AIR7 depicts SWAT officers surrounding a white van. Additional video from the scene reveals shattered glass scattered on the ground and multiple bullet holes evident on the windshield.
Police shot and killed a man who they claim had a replica rifle in his vehicle when they arrived at the scene. He was later identified as Jeremy Flores.
During the rally on Tuesday, supporters displayed posters reading “JUSTICE FOR JEREMY FLORES!” alongside a photograph of him.
“He didn’t deserve what happened to him,” stated the man’s sister, Lindsay Palma, with tears in her eyes. “What they did to him was not acceptable.
“He had created a bucket list while he was incarcerated,” Palma continued. “He wanted to attend church and he aspired to change his life.”
Officers from the Hollenbeck Division responded to a call at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Monday regarding an individual armed with a rifle, as reported by Sgt. William Cooper, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department.
“Upon arrival, officers encountered a man who appeared to be armed with a potential firearm,” Cooper explained. “After further investigation and examination of body-worn video, there was no clear indication of the suspect’s actions at the time of the officer-involved shooting.”
Following the officers’ gunfire, Cooper noted that a SWAT team was deployed.
“SWAT utilized gas in an effort to establish contact and elicit a response from the suspect. However, there was no reaction from the suspect despite SWAT’s attempts. At that point, they assessed that it was safe to approach the vehicle,” Cooper stated.
Flores was declared dead at the scene. Investigators confirmed that he possessed a BB gun replica of a rifle. The van he occupied appeared to be a work vehicle containing what seemed to be cleaning supplies in open compartments.
Additionally, on Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell stated…
