By Rosaland TylerAssociate EditorNew Journal and GuideLos Angeles' newly elected Black female mayor Karen Bass is expected to weigh-in on the death of Keenan Anderson, 31, who died from cardiac arrest after L.A. police officers recently blasted his body for 90 seconds with a Taser gun during a traffic stop.According to police reports, Anderson, a Washington DC teacher, had committed a felony hit-and-run and another person involved in the collision said Anderson tried to steal a vehicle. Eventually, an officer activated the taser on Anderson at least six consecutive times, at one point holding it against his back while the weapon buzzed for roughly 30 seconds straight.Anderson was unarmed on Jan. 3, when LAPD officers used a taser on him during the aftermath of a traffic accident and he later died in an LA hospital. Newly released body camera footage shows LAPD officers restraining and tasing Anderson, who can be heard begging for help.It was a traffic accident, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors (a cousin of the deceased), said in recent news reports. Instead of treating him like a potential criminal, police should have called the ambulance.”According to a report in Mother Jones magazine, at one point in the violent encounter, Anderson is heard saying, They're trying to George Floyd me.”An LAPD video shows a motorcycle arrived at the scene of a car accident near the corner of Venice Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevards and encountered Anderson jogging in the middle of the road. Anderson said, “Please help me,” and pointed the officer in the direction of the accident.Anderson held his hands up and said, “I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.” The officer then called for additional units over his radio, mentioning the possibility of a DUI driver. Anderson dropped to his knees and puts his hands behind his head. He told the officer again that someone was trying to kill him. “They were trying to put stuff in my car,” he said, though it is unclear what exactly he was referring to.Bass, the newly elected first Black female mayor of L.A, said in a recent statement, “Full investigations are underway, and I pledge that the City's investigations into these deaths will be transparent and will reflect the values of Los Angeles. I will ensure that the City’s investigations will drive only toward truth and accountability. Furthermore, the officers involved must be placed on immediate leave.”But the president of the NAACP's Legal and Defense Fund said a traffic stop should not have ended Anderson's life.“Keenan Anderson’s life should’ve never been threatened—let alone ended—as a result of a traffic stop encounter with @LAPD, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Director Janai Nelson said in a recent statement.We mourn with his family, friends & community & call for immediate investigation, correctives & concrete action toward an entirely new public safety system.”Anderson's death is one of three against unarmed people of color in LA in 2023.Records show Charleston police officers apprehended Dylann Roof without fatal consequence
