LAPD Chief Beck Calls South Carolina Shooting Of Unarmed Black Man A Criminal Act

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck says the actions of a South Carolina police officer who was captured on cellphone video fatally shooting a fleeing, unarmed man were criminal.

Beck told reporters Thursday that he'd watched the video and that the officers' actions appeared to be a criminal act "well beyond" any policies at the LAPD and he would've also had the officer arrested.

Beck says that while the cellphone video was compelling evidence, investigators may have reached the same conclusion based on further investigation, including the coroner's review and witness interviews.

The LAPD is working to equip roughly 7,000 officers with body cameras by the year's end, making it the nation's largest law enforcement agency to move forward with such an ambitious expansion of the technology.

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