An individual who was shot and killed during a confrontation with Los Angeles police officers Sunday was a wanted man, U.S. Marshalls say.
According to court papers, the homeless man known as “Africa” was a convicted bank robber who was sentenced to 15 years in prison back in 2000. That year, he committed an armed robbery at a Wells Fargo branch in Thousand Oaks, during which he kicked and pistol-whipped one of the tellers. He planned to use the stolen money to pay for acting classes, authorities said.
The man was released in May but failed to submit his monthly report to probation officers, prompting authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest. He was able to evade capture, however, by assuming the identity of a French national named Charley Robinet.
While in prison, the man was determined to be suffering from a “mental disorder or defect.” After he refused transfer to an in-patient mental health unit, federal prosecutors petitioned to have him hospitalized by court order.
Sunday’s fatal shooting occurred on Downtown L.A.’s skid row after police responded to a reported robbery. Amateur video shows the man resisting officers. Police maintain that he was shot only after he reached for one of the officer’s guns.
Read more about Sunday’s shooting here.