Should Los Angeles residents, especially African Americans be concerned for their lives? It seems two innocent women were cowardly ambushed in their car by LAPD while on a paper route delivering papers. This morning, Thursday February 7, 2013 in Torrance, California two women who have not been named as of yet were shot in their car while in the 19500 block of Redbeam Avenue. In a press conference police say they were mistaken for Christopher Dorner. According to CNN the police saw a blue pickup truck in the neighborhood and fired on it. The Los Angeles times reports the car was riddled with bullets by the police with one woman being shot in the back and the other shot in the hand. Their newspapers were said to have been strewn along the street.
LAPD are involved in a massive manhunt for Christopher Jordan Dorner who allegedly shot police officers and two others. According to CNN a Manifesto by Dorner related that he wanted to clear his name for wrongful dismissal from the LAPD. It seems he reported a higher-up in the LAPD for kicking a suspect who was mentally ill and vulnerable. The manifesto by Dorner posted in the Seattle Pi states, “In 8/07 I reported an officer (Ofcr. XXXX/now a Sergeant), for kicking a suspect (excessive force) during a Use of Force while I was assigned as a patrol officer at LAPD’s Harbor Division. While cuffing the suspect, (XXXX), XXXX kicked the suspect twice in the chest and once in the face. The kick to the face left a visible injury on the left cheek below the eye.”
As a result of this whistle blowing Dorner was fired (Manifesto). Dorner refers to several acts of racism during his time in the LAPD and refers to the actions by fellow officers as likened to those who participated in the Rodney King incident and the Rampart scandal. Both incidents resulted in unprovoked beatings, false accusations and misconduct by the police (Frontline, PBS).
It must also be pointed out at 5:45 a.m. on Thursday that a second shooting by Torrance police officers against innocent citizens occurred on Flagler Lane and Beryl Street. The Torrance police officers thought they saw Dorners’ vehicle and fired. According to the LA Times no one was hurt in this shooting. At this point 33-year-old Dorner is still being pursued by LAPD as well as local, state and federal forces.
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