The mother of a black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies in Inglewood, Calif. last week says that her son was “innocent” of wrongdoing and “murdered” by police.
Edtwon Stamps, 27, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after being shot multiple times last Thursday (June 4). Stamps, who worked as a bus driver, was staying at a hotel in Inglewood when he went out to get pizza, his mother, Kaylah Jordan, said.
The shooting erupted at around 10:30 p.m. local time.
“All I know is I got a call, they said my son had been shot. That supposedly he had opened fire on some officers,” Jordan told CBS Los Angeles.
Jordan maintained that her son did nothing wrong. “I just want you to know that my son is innocent. He was murdered.”
Authorities dd not release information about the shooting until 15 hours after Stamps was killed.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s department claim that Stamps somehow ended up in the front seat of a deputy squad car at one point during the encounter. He was shot at least three times, according to his mother. One of the squad cars at the scene was also left riddled with bullets.
Although police would not confirm exactly how many shots were fired at Stamps, a witness told CBS LA that they heard at least a dozen shots.
Deputies reportedly began following Stamps because he was “acting suspiciously.” Stamps allegedly opened fire on officers, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s office. A witness reported seeing a “shootout” between Stamps and deputies.
“Everybody be advised, suspect is down. Suspect is inside the patrol vehicle,” someone can be heard saying on a police scanner, as reported by KTLA. “We have, uh, numerous deputies that are holding the suspect at gunpoint. He’s going to be seated in the front seat of the patrol vehicle. There’s going to be 417 (gun) in his waistband.”
Stamps was the third police-involved fatal shooting in Los Angles County within a 24-hour period.
See more on the shooting below.