Following news of two LA sheriff deputies being shot in the head near Compton was widely spread online; as people wondered if the attack of the two officers was incited by months-old calls to defund the police in the US, in the wake of George Floyd's killing by a police officer last May.
Update: The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation. pic.twitter.com/cBQjyKkoxJ
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
According to local media, the two officers have been severely injured as a result of the shooting, but they are still alive and are fighting for their lives at a local hospital. The two officers, a male, and a female were ambushed with multiple gunshots as they were sitting in a patrol car.
The shooter remains on the loose as he/she wasn't identified yet.
What do you expect after the constant media bashing and demonising of officers by MP’s and ‘celebrities’. It’s now a badge of honour to attack an officer.
— NWResponseCop (@nw_cop) September 13, 2020
How people can justify this is beyond me.
@stillgray I wonder if there will be a protest for our cops!
— Russell Stuart (@russellstuart) September 13, 2020
The shooting comes at such a critical time in the US as Black Lives Matter protests continue to take place across several cities in the country, ever since a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd's neck thus killing him last May.
Earlier this month, LA police were involved in the killing of Dijon Kizzee, who was stopped by the police for a traffic violation while driving his bike. According to police sources, Kizzee had run from the patrol after punching an officer on the face while urging the officer to shoot him.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the shooting of a Black man by two deputies. The department said “During the contact, a fight ensued between the suspect and deputies." The man produced a gun and a shooting occurred. https://t.co/Ehf3n70zMe
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 1, 2020
Man it’s so insane seeing that police shooting in LA. What’s even crazier is seeing how many people on twitter support a person just ambushing and shooting cops with intent to kill. Should be obvious to anyone with a brain that profiling any one group of people is idiotic...
— Christian Rivera (@IWDominateLoL) September 13, 2020
Activists affiliated with the BLM movement have since been calling for defunding the US police in efforts to reform the system, citing continuous incidents in which police officers have targeted black people.
Meanwhile, the anger amounting ever since BLM protests erupted last May has been linked to the growing number of attacks against police officers in addition to white people.
According to many social media users, the Compton shooting last night is the most recent example of how anti-police sentiment has inspired attacks on innocent police officers and endangered their lives.
You sure can release footage rapidly when it's against police. But take forever when you shoot or brutalize citizens. Please learn from this.
— Medallion (@sshifty66) September 13, 2020
Many voices have also questioned whether BLM activists are going to condemn attacks on the police or protest in an attempt to put an end the cycle of violence, similar to their reactions following attacks by the police.
I totally agree. Loss of human life is horrible! Whether it’s done in hatred, fear or ignorance it all horrible. I back the good blue! Not that bad! I back the good BLM ✊? not the posers! Change needs to happen.
— Guess720s (@Guess720s) September 13, 2020
