LANCASTER, Pennsylvania – A police officer fatally shot a Black man during a domestic disturbance call, prompting street protests that led to vandalism in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Police eventually used tear gas early Monday to disperse the crowds.
Authorities posted the officer’s body camera video on social media, showing the man chasing the officer down a sidewalk with a knife before he was fatally shot.
According to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, bodycam video shows the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz, immediately run toward the officer “in a threatening manner” while brandishing a knife in front of the residence.
The officer was placed on administrative leave, according to local news outlets.
The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office was leading the investigation. District Attorney Heather Adams acknowledged the protests in a news release late Sunday and called for calm.
“We ask that acts of protest remain peaceful as violence and destruction of property will become headlines and serve no purpose for the safety and wellbeing of our citizens and neighborhoods,” Adams stated.
As for the use of “chemical munitions” against protesters early Monday, the police department said in a statement that the crowd was given several warnings to disperse before the gas was deployed.
The crowd “failed to follow the instructions,” police stated, adding that items including glass bottles, gallon jugs filled with liquid, parts of plastic road barricades, and more had been thrown at officers.
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