Eight people have been arrested during a Lancaster County public protests, a day after a police officer shot and killed a 27-year-old man.
Lancaster city police shot dead a Hispanic man armed with a knife, identified as Ricardo Munoz, while responding to a domestic disturbance on 14th September, 2020.
Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that it was “investigating whether the force used by police was justified and if a crime had occurred.”
He added that when the officer came to the front of the residence, Munoz “immediately emerged from inside and ran toward the officer, brandishing a knife above his head, in clear view, in a threatening manner.”
“A police-involved shooting has significant impact on a community, as we are seeing with the large number of individuals gathering in the streets,” District Attorney Heather Adams said in the statement.
“However, I am asking that all reaction be tempered as the investigation is ongoing,” he added
Following the shooting, however, demonstrators flooded the streets of Lancaster to protest against police brutality and racism, which have gripped the US for months.
After more than 100 protesters gathered on an access ramp outside the police station, police said they had arrested eight individuals who caused damage to the police station, a parked vehicle and a US Post Office building.
The officer who shot Munoz was placed on administrative leave, the mayor’s office said in a statement, calling it “a heartbreaking day for our city.”
“I grieve for the loss of life and know that there are more questions to be answered as the investigation continues,” Mayor Danene Sorace said in the statement.
Munoz’s family said he was suffering from mental issues but the police ”didn’t have to kill him.”
