LASD deputy kills Black woman who sought help over abuse (Footage)
6 Min Read
The video footage released by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department shows a deputy killing the woman who called 911 right in front of her daughter.
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A sign stands outside Los Angeles County Sheriff's training academy in Whittier, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (AP)
On Friday, Los Angeles' Sheriff's Department (LASD) released video footage of their shooting at a woman who called 911 for help over domestic abuse accusations.
The events of December 4, the day of the shooting, started with Niani Finlayson calling 911 for help against her abusive ex-boyfriend, who had broken into her house. Excerpts of the call could be heard, with Niani screaming in terror about how the man would not leave her alone and her need for dire and immediate help.
LASD then arrived at the location, barged into the house in which Niani was heard screaming, and found her 9-year-old daughter who had told the police that her mother's ex-boyfriend physically assaulted her, although the police contorted her testimony.
The scene of the crime started with Niani holding a knife to keep her ex-boyfriend away, telling police, "I'm about to stab him because he hurt my daughter," which was when Deputy Ty Shelton entered the room and immediately shot Niani four times. It was reported that Shelton had his gun in one hand, and a taser in the other. However, he opted to shoot at the victim directly, right in front of her daughter.
The ex-boyfriend, on the other hand, was arrested for child and domestic abuse but was later released pending further investigation.
“Niani Finlayson was fatally shot Dec. 4 after deputies responded to a domestic violence call at an apartment in the 2100 block of East Avenue J-8 in Lancaster, according to authorities.”
— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) December 30, 2023
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Police brutality: An instinct against people of color
The incident brought forth two realizations once publicized.
First, Ty Shelton, the officer who killed Niani Finlayson, had previously murdered another victim on the job. Michael Thomas, who was 61 at the time of the incident, was in the middle of a potential domestic abuse predicament. He and his wife were having a verbal argument when police showed up at their home. Thomas, who was afraid police would resort to violence and kill him as they did a few weeks before to George Floyd, did not open the door. Shelton then shot him in the chest and killed him.
Second, national outrage was triggered with civil rights activists questioning why trained deputies could not de-escalate a domestic violence dispute when they knew who the victim and the abuser were, and why fatal aggression was their first instinct.
When both of Shelton's victims' race is considered as a contributing factor to the murders, it becomes apparent that this is not just an unfortunate, spur-of-the-moment mishap, but a systematic racial bias that puts people of color at the risk of fatal police brutality and gives officers a pass that excuses the murders they commit.
Read more: Only 41% of US believe police treat Black, White people equally: Poll
'This was cold-blooded murder'
LASD came out with a statement that passively tried to justify Shelton's inexcusable use of violence, saying that "deputy-involved shootings are traumatic for all parties involved," claiming that public safety will be improved in light of the case of Niani Finlayson.
However, Shelton has not been convicted yet and neither was he he killed Michael Thomas.
Niani's family filed a claim against LASD and the Los Angeles Country for wrongful death, assault, battery, and civil rights violations. Niani's father explicitly wants all parties involved in the death of his daughter held accountable, namely Ty Shelton and Los Angeles County.
Waunette Cullors, who works for a local advocacy group called Cancel the Contract, is assisting the family on their daughter's case. After viewing footage of the murder, she said, “Knowing they were responding to a domestic violence call from a mother in fear for her life, they showed no concern and did not act safely. Why is it that when a Black person calls the police for help in desperation, she is treated as the suspect? This was cold-blooded murder.”
She also called for consequential action to be taken against Shelton, demanding the Sheriff's department to decertify and fire him.
The US' explicit systematic racism issue
Back in May, legislation that expressed support for law enforcement passed in the US House of Representatives, amid condemnations of efforts to defund police departments.
The resolution passed with 301 representatives voting for, 119 voting against, and 3 abstentions. According to the text, the bill “recognizes and appreciates” the dedication of local law enforcement officers, while it condemned calls to “defund, disband, dismantle, or abolish” police departments, citing purported defunding attempts by “leftist activists and progressive politicians.”
Before its approval, the House included language acknowledging that police should have access to legal counsel and resources during investigations into allegations of wrongdoing and urging states to enact a "Bill of Rights" to safeguard law enforcement. This comes as US residents have in recent years faced increased police brutality and racial profiling.
In September, a fresh report released by the UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the Context of Law Enforcement revealed that "systemic racism" against individuals of African descent is ravaging US police forces and the criminal justice system as it calls on authorities to amp up efforts of reform.
According to the report, racism - the legacy of slavery, the slave trade, and 100 years of legalized apartheid - continues to spread today through racial profiling, police killings, and other human rights violations.
It noted that African Americans are three times more likely to be killed by police than whites, and 4.5 times more likely to be imprisoned, adding that only 1% of the over 1,000 cases of murder by police each year, result in officers being indicted.
Most recently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill that essentially grants police sweeping power that would enable them to arrest immigrants who enter the US illegally through the US-Mexican border and gives Texan judges the ability to expel them back to Mexico, enhancing rates of racial profiling.
Read more: Indigenous America: The US kills its victim and walks in its funeral
