LA Cops Shoot Man Holding Pocketknife at Site of Eric Garner and Michael Brown Protests

Los Angeles police fatally shot a man in Hollywood Friday night at the same spot where hundreds of people protested the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner just one day earlier.

The cops fired multiple shots at the man, knocking him over in a tourist-filled intersection outside a shopping complex, witnesses said. Video footage from the scene shows the cops pointing their guns at the man for minutes after he had fallen, then approaching to take his pulse and shooing bystanders from the area.

(Warning: graphic photos) Literally just saw someone get shot at the corner of Hollywood & highland. I'm in shock. — Lisa Bregman (@LisaMBregman)December 6, 2014

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The police, who fired on the man at about 6:45pm, were responding to a report that someone had been stabbed, KABC reported.

"The officers arrived in the area of Hollywood and Highland when they observed a man in the intersection," LAPD detective Meghan Aguilar told KABC. "The male was armed with a knife. When he saw the officers, he approached them, and an officer-involved shooting occurred."

The LAPD then tweeted photos of the knife.

— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ)December 6, 2014

The incident occurred as the Los Angeles police chief prepared to decide whether to punish three officers who fatally shot an unarmed man in a high-speed car chase last year. And the Friday night shooting preceded a day of planned demonstrations in LA to continue protesting the killings of Garner and Brown.

The shooting sparked instant indignation from local residents and people nationwide on social media.

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— Jayron (@Jayron26)December 6, 2014

I just really want it to sink in that LAPD murdered a man with bullets to the head last night- bc they were afraid of a Swiss Army knife.

— Cassandra (@CassandraRules)December 6, 2014

Unlike the other recent police shootings that have prompted heated debates about racism and the use of deadly force, the victim of the Friday shooting was white.

The man killed in last night's — Jasmyne Cannick (@jasmyne)December 6, 2014

LAPD jus killed another person in LA he was white wtf these police is crazy af — ????Kathleen???? (@ladyjuicy_kat)December 6, 2014

The victim's race caused speculation about how much attention the shooting would receive.

LAPD just shot and killed another unarmed man. Plot twist: he's white. Let's see how this plays out.

— tianna's world (@tiannawest)December 6, 2014

I guess LAPD figured they'd shoot this white dude dead so they could say they don't only kill black and brown folks.

— Billy Dee Crilliams (@jcrillz)December 6, 2014

So I'm hearing the guy shot tonight by the — Jackie (@small_squeeze)December 6, 2014

Follow Meredith Hoffman on Twitter: @merhoffman

Photo via Flickr