(KTLA-TV) |
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is calling for an expedited investigation into the fatal deputy-involved shooting of an unarmed man, apparently mistaken for a robbery suspect.
Darrick Collins Sr., 36, was shot and killed around 10 p.m. Monday as two deputies from the Lennox Station responded to a reported armed robbery in the unincorporated area of Athens, authorities said.
The deputies spotted two men who matched the description of the suspects in the armed robbery, authorities said.
Collins appeared to reach into his waistband for a weapon while fleeing the scene, and a deputy opened fire, sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said.
"The suspect was hit in the upper torso," Hecht said.
No weapon was found and there was no evidence to suggest Collins had any part in the reported robbery.
Collins, a father of two who had hoped to attend barber school, died at a hospital.
The other man was not arrested and no deputies were hurt in the incident.
Deputies are said to be continuing the investigation into Collins' potential involvement in the robbery.
Collins' family is outraged and is calling for the deputy to be punished.
During a news conference Tuesday, Collins' mother, Bernastein Huckabee, said, "I just want justice for my son, that's what I want. Why they had to shoot him in his back. It's pathetic how they did this ... They took my son away from me."
James Walker, Collins' uncle, said, "We need that officer fired from his job. He needs to be charged with murder in the first degree."
"Why would they kill him?" said Kendra Dean, the mother of one of Collins' children, a 16-month-old boy. "They're supposed to serve and protect. They ain't doing that for me. They ain't doing that for Derrick Collins Senior because they killed him, they shot him down."
Added Eric Huckabee: "They just murdered my brother, that's what they did. It was a wrongful shooting and whoever the deputy was should go to jail for murder."
Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said that Baca ordered the investigation be completed within 90 days. The typical investigation into a deputy-involved shooting can take up to a year.
Darrick Collins Sr., 36, was shot and killed around 10 p.m. Monday as two deputies from the Lennox Station responded to a reported armed robbery in the unincorporated area of Athens, authorities said.
The deputies spotted two men who matched the description of the suspects in the armed robbery, authorities said.
Collins appeared to reach into his waistband for a weapon while fleeing the scene, and a deputy opened fire, sheriff's Sgt. Diane Hecht said.
"The suspect was hit in the upper torso," Hecht said.
No weapon was found and there was no evidence to suggest Collins had any part in the reported robbery.
Collins, a father of two who had hoped to attend barber school, died at a hospital.
The other man was not arrested and no deputies were hurt in the incident.
Deputies are said to be continuing the investigation into Collins' potential involvement in the robbery.
Collins' family is outraged and is calling for the deputy to be punished.
During a news conference Tuesday, Collins' mother, Bernastein Huckabee, said, "I just want justice for my son, that's what I want. Why they had to shoot him in his back. It's pathetic how they did this ... They took my son away from me."
James Walker, Collins' uncle, said, "We need that officer fired from his job. He needs to be charged with murder in the first degree."
"Why would they kill him?" said Kendra Dean, the mother of one of Collins' children, a 16-month-old boy. "They're supposed to serve and protect. They ain't doing that for me. They ain't doing that for Derrick Collins Senior because they killed him, they shot him down."
Added Eric Huckabee: "They just murdered my brother, that's what they did. It was a wrongful shooting and whoever the deputy was should go to jail for murder."
Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said that Baca ordered the investigation be completed within 90 days. The typical investigation into a deputy-involved shooting can take up to a year.
