LA Sheriff's Office Responds to Video of Deputies Shooting Man As He Crawls Away

VICE News is closely watching policing in America. Check out the Officer Involved blog here

Police in Southern California are facing scrutiny after dramatic video footage emerged that appears to show two white officers repeatedly shooting a black man as he attempted to crawl away from them.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office held a press conference on Sunday afternoon to address the video and shooting incident, which occurred Saturday morning outside a gas station in Lynwood, about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. The sheriff's office identified the victim as Nicholas Robertson, 28, from Compton. He was reportedly a father of three.

Related: The FBI Director Says Cops Are 'Under Siege' From Viral Videos

The deputies involved in the shooting initially said that Robertson was armed and refused to drop his weapon, but video recorded by a bystander in a building across the street seems to contradict those claims. It appears to show two officers standing a short distance away from Robertson as he walks away from them with his back turned. The officers suddenly open fire and continue shooting as Robertson falls to the ground and attempts to crawl away.

The footage has prompted outrage in a city that is already sore from a number of controversial officer-involved shootings over the last two years. Crowds of protesters gathered at the site of the incident on Saturday night.

Ahead of Sunday's press conference on the shooting, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell urged the public to avoid drawing conclusions about the incident based on what the video shows.

Related: Video Appears to Show Texas Police Open Fire After Man Raises Arms to Surrender

"In this modern age of cellphone video and instant analysis on the Internet, I would ask that we keep in mind that a thorough and comprehensive investigation is detailed and time-intensive," McDonnell said in a statement "It will involve not just one source of information but numerous sources, potentially including multiple videos, physical evidence and eyewitness accounts."

LA Police gunned down father of 3 — Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy)December 13, 2015

People starting to rally at police scene in Lynwood after a 28 year old man was shot and killed by LASD deputies — Kate Larsen (@KateNBCLA)December 13, 2015

Speaking at Sunday's press conference, Captain Steve Katz of the sheriff's office said that deputies received numerous reports before 11am on Saturday of an individual toting a handgun in the vicinity of a busy intersection in Lynwood, and that shots were fired in the area around that time. Katz shared video footage and photographs from a business overlooking the intersection by the gas station that he said showed Robertson "behaving erratically" and carrying a handgun.

Katz said Robertson was "yelling out expletives," and that a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found at the scene of the incident. It wasn't loaded, Katz said, but Robertson had additional rounds on his person. Katz said they had no evidence that Robertson fired at police deputies, but that they were certain it had been fired "multiple times" earlier in the day. The police official suggested a marital dispute or a "drug nexus" had made Robertson agitated.

Related: Graphic Video Shows Miami Beach Police Shoot Shirtless Man at Close Range

Katz said the deputies fired 15 and 16 shots, respectively, during the encounter. He said the number of shots wasn't necessarily unusual, but that it would be evaluated as part of the investigation into the incident. He also described one of the officers involved as veteran, but when pressed on how he defined "veteran," he acknowledged the man had only been in the field for a year. Both officers involved will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The sheriff's office stressed their understanding of the "significant community concern" and "strong emotions" about the shooting, underscoring the fact that the investigation is in very early stages. Katz pleaded for patience, and said that "facts may change" as the investigation proceeds.

Follow Tess Owen on Twitter: @misstessowen