LOS ANGELES _ A day after an off-duty Los Angeles police officer fired his gun during a confrontation with a group of teenagers in Anaheim, videos purportedly showing the encounter spread online, prompting questions about the officer's actions.
No one was injured by the gunfire, but the footage _ posted on YouTube and Facebook _ sparked a flurry of phone calls and emails to Anaheim police, who are investigating the officer's actions.
On Wednesday night, about 300 demonstrators took to the streets of Anaheim to protest the case. The marchers began in the west Anaheim neighborhood where the shooting occurred and eventually moved into major streets.
The group took over several lanes of Euclid Avenue, at times blocking intersections.
Anaheim police, who were on tactical alert, set up a protest line near Ball Road and Euclid Street to try to contain the crowd.
Traffic was being diverted in the area.
The Anaheim Police Department was flooded with calls about the video.
"Calling and sending emails to APD voicing your displeasure will NOT impact the outcome," Anaheim police posted on their Facebook page. "A decision whether or not to file charges rests with the District Attorney's office and is based on facts and evidence."
The department said in a separate statement that although officials could not "authenticate the validity of these videos" posted online because they were not recorded or shared by the department, "they do appear to depict portions of the incident in question."
Sgt. Daron Wyatt, an Anaheim police spokesman, guessed he had received more than 500 calls after the videos began circulating online.
He cautioned that the videos do not show the entirety of the encounter, capturing only a "very small portion."
Some have questioned why the officer wasn't arrested. Wyatt said detectives opted to finish their investigation before presenting their case to the district attorney's office for review.
Tuesday's confrontation began over what Anaheim police described as "ongoing issues" with the juveniles walking across the officer's property. During the argument, police said, a 13-year-old allegedly threatened to shoot the off-duty officer, prompting him to attempt to detain the teen.
Two videos, taken by witnesses and posted online, appear to show the officer grab a 13-year-old boy on a lawn. A group of young people, most wearing backpacks, stood nearby.
In one video, the boy says the encounter began when the officer cursed at a girl who walked across his yard, then grabbed the boy after he protested his language.
"That's not what I said," the officer replied. Another teenager chimed in, but could not be heard clearly on the recording.
"Shut the ... up," the officer said. "You weren't even there."
With the officer grabbing the collar of the 13-year-old's sweatshirt, the two staggered across the lawn. "Let me go," the boy said repeatedly.
At one point, someone rushes the officer, sending him over a row of bushes. The man then starts to drag the boy over the hedge as another swings at him.
A few seconds later, as more people approach the two, the man reaches into the waistband of his jeans and draws what appears to be a gun. A single gunshot can be heard about three seconds later.
Anaheim police officers were called to the scene at Euclid Street and Palais Road at about 2:40 p.m.
Because the officer fired his gun, Anaheim homicide detectives were assigned to the case and interviewed witnesses at the scene.
Two teenagers were arrested, Anaheim police said. The 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of battery and making criminal threats, and a 15-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault and battery. Their names were not released because they are juveniles.
Wyatt said the off-duty officer was cooperating with the inquiry and had not been arrested. His name was not released.
Capt. Andy Neiman, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman, said the department had launched its own internal investigation into the shooting, which is standard procedure when officers fire their guns. Neiman said LAPD detectives and staff from the inspector general's office had gone to the scene.
"We will continue to conduct the internal investigation to determine the actions of the officer and the circumstances, and then we'll consult with the Orange County district attorney as well to determine if there's any issues," Neiman said.
As with all shootings by LAPD officers, Neiman said, the off-duty officer will remain out of the field until what's known as a 72-hour briefing, when Chief Charlie Beck reviews the initial inquiry into the case and determines whether the officer can return.
