BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors claims cousin was ‘killed by LAPD cops:’ Teacher, 31, went into cardiac arrest after being tasered for ‘behaving erratically’ and trying to flee scene of traffic accident he caused
- Keenan Anderson, cousin of BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, died on January 3
- Anderson, 31, was tasered by officers as he tried to escape an arrest, they say
- He was ‘running in the street and exhibiting erratic behavior,’ LAPD officials say
- Cullors has famously advocated for the defunding of American police forces
- The LAPD said body cam footage of the incident will be released after 45 days
A co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement has claimed that her cousin was ‘killed’ by LAPD officers last Tuesday after he was tasered by police and died in their custody.
Keenan Anderson – cousin of activist Patrisse Cullors – caused a car crash before standing in the middle of Venice Boulevard ‘behaving erratically’ and trying to run away officers carrying out a DUI investigation, Los Angeles police say.
English teacher Anderson, 31, went into cardiac arrest and died in hospital after being tasered. Cullors is claiming that he was ‘killed by the LAPD.’
The LAPD have classified Anderson’s death as ‘in-custody’ and said its Force Investigation Division will conduct an investigation.
A co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement has said her cousin, Keenan Anderson, 31, was killed by LAPD officers after he was tasered by police and later died in their custody. He is pictured with his six-year-old son
In a tribute post on Instagram BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors revealed that Anderson was her cousin
The crash and subsequent tasering happened at around 3.30pm on January 3 in the area of Venice Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard, police said.
A traffic officer saw Anderson ‘running in the middle of the street and exhibiting erratic behavior,’ as those involved ‘motioned’ to the officer that he had been responsible for a crash.
Initially Anderson cooperated with the traffic officer, who then ‘requested additional units for a DUI investigation.’
As additional officers arrived at the scene Anderson allegedly tried to escape being brought into custody by running eastwards in the middle Venice Boulevard.
‘My cousin was an educator and worked with high school aged children. He was an English teacher,’ Cullors wrote of Anderson (pictured)
‘Officers struggled with Anderson for several minutes, utilizing a TASER, bodyweight, firm grips, and joint locks to overcome his resistance.
‘Anderson was subsequently handcuffed and hobbled at the ankles,’ the LAPD said in a statement.
After he was arrested the Los Angeles Fire Department was ‘rendered medical aid for deployment of the TASER.’
He was then taken to a hospital in Santa Monica where he died.
In a tribute post on Instagram, Cullors revealed that Anderson was her cousin and posted a photo of him with his six-year-old son.
The Black Lives Matter Network was founded in 2013 by three women: Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi
‘This is my cousin Keenan Anderson. He was killed by LAPD in Venice on January 3rd, 2023,’ she wrote.
‘My cousin was an educator and worked with high school aged children. He was an English teacher,’ she added.
‘Keenan deserves to be alive right now, his child deserves to be raised by his father. Keenan we will fight for you and for all of our loved ones impacted by state violence.
‘LAPD has killed three people this year. One of them is my family member.’
On the same day, the LAPD fatally shot a man armed with a sharp object in South LA and the day before another man, holding a large knife, was shot dead.
When asked for video of the events that lead to Anderson’s death an LAPD official said that ‘body worn video is released 45 days following a critical incident.’
BLM Los Angeles wrote in a statement: ‘A minor traffic incident shouldn’t lead to death’
BLM Los Angeles wrote in a statement: ‘A minor traffic incident shouldn’t lead to death.’
The Black Lives Matter Network was founded in 2013 by three women: Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi.
As the movement grew a focus became advocating for the defunding of various police forces and law enforcement departments.
Last May it was revealed that Black Lives Matter donated $200,000 during its 2021 fiscal year to a Chicago group run by famous defund the police activist Richard Wallace.
In 2020 Cullors told WBUR: ‘The demand of defunding law enforcement becomes a central demand in how we actually get real accountability and justice.’
‘It means we are reducing the ability of law enforcement to have resources that harm our communities,’ she added.
A luxurious Studio City property that Cullors has now admitted she used for personal, non-BLM business, after previously denying doing so
The property was bought as a haven for black artists – but Cullors used it to host a Biden-Harris inauguration party, and to celebrate her son’s 21st birthday, she revealed in an interview
Cullors has also attracted criticism for accumulating a property portfolio that appears to be at odds with her persona as a self-described ‘trained Marxist.’
In an interview with the Associated Press last year, Cullors denied accusations that she had personally benefited in the six years she guided the BLM foundation but admitted she had lied about the use of some of those properties.
Notably, she admitted to using a $6million LA house purchased with BLM money for personal, non-BLM business, after previously denying doing so.
A post on social media by Anderson’s sister addressed her brother’s death and expressed a similar sense of injustice. ‘Keenan Anderson my brother was killed by LAPD I truly believe,’ she wrote.
‘Can’t wait to see this body cam footage.’
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