Teacher and cousin of Black Lives Matter founder ‘Tased to death’ by LAPD
GuardianNov 25, 2022
The Facts
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said on Wednesday that teacher Keenan Anderson, a relative of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, died after going into cardiac arrest on Jan. 3. His death came hours after he was tasered multiple times by police officers in a struggle.
The news comes as authorities released body-camera footage of the incident in Venice, California, showing Anderson begging for his life while being detained. An officer appears to be restraining him – shortly after a traffic collision – by holding his elbow on Anderson's neck.
The Spin
Right narrative
So far we know that the victim, who had cocaine and cannabis in his body, tried to flee the scene and resisted arrest after causing a traffic collision. Despite BLM supporters mobbing outside LAPD headquarters, the role that police officers played in this case remains unclear, as the Los Angeles County coroner's office is yet to rule on the cause or manner of Anderson's death.
Left narrative
The LAPD chief acknowledged that Anderson's death could have been avoided. Clearly, efforts taken in the wake of the 2020 killing of George Floyd to curb police violence have failed to change the dire reality that Black people face in the US. Anderson was the third man of color to die in violent encounters with the LAPD in the span of a week: enough is enough.
