First it was Micheal Cho, the Korean American recent college grad that was shot and killed in La Habra for holding a tire iron. Now, it’s 21 year old Pakistani-American Mohammad Usman Chaudhry. 
On Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 4a.m. in Hollywood, CA, Mohammad Usman Chaudhry, a highly functioning autistic person, was shot multiple times and killed by the LAPD (Hollywood Division) on the 1400 block of Curson Ave. Usman was still in handcuffs when examined by the coroner. Family members of Usman were not told about his death until 21 days after the killing. [SouthAsianNetwork]
According to police, Officer Joseph Cruz and his partner were patrolling the street when they saw a dark figure by an apartment complex. The officers approached to investigate and encountered Chaudhry lying behind some bushes. As Cruz was questioning Chaudhry, he pulled out a folding knife and stabbed Cruz on the left hand. Cruz pulled out his gun and fired several rounds at Chaudhry.[LATimes]
Los Angeles non-profit South Asian Network gathered together community members last week to hold a candlelit vigil to support Usman’s family and demand an end to police violence. About 200 community members came out in support.
“The vigil for Usman Chaudhry was really powerful to attend on many different levels,” says Preeti Sharma, a local South Asian organizer. “Seeing the family speak out and share their anger at the police brutality, hearing the stories of other young men of color shot recently by LAPD, and lastly having people in the community feel empowered enough to give their testimony was altogether an emotional and empowering experience.”
There’s something just simply so wrong with how this story has played out. Not only was the kid only 21 years old, but he was autistic. I’m sure the autism contributed to awkwardness when he was approached by LAPD at 4am. And even if he stabbed the police with a folding knife, why shoot several rounds at a HANDCUFFED man? CopWatch also notes that the LAPD ran Usman’s ID before he was killed, as well. So basically, evidence shows that LAPD had him in custody when he was murdered. Many other people think this is an injustice too, and a blog memorial has been started in Usman’s memory. And his family and friends on it have questions as well and is heartbreaking to read…
1. Why was his family notified 21 days after his death when the officers had Usman in custody (in handcuffs) and had the chance to run his id? 2. Was his death not important because LAPD believed him to be homeless? Are homeless people not human beings? 3. Who do we call for help and trust when it is the police taking the lives of innocent people? [UsmanChaudhry21]
And there are even more questions on Usman’s brother’s blog here.
Here in Los Angeles, hearing stories about LAPD related killings are a dime a dozen, but hearing this story really rips my heart out because everything about it is so close to home. He’s the same age my sister. He might have been at the same Eid prayer I go to. He was shot by the same police department that is supposed to be protecting me. He isn’t the only youth to be killed by LAPD – in 2007 alone 13 “youth” were killed by LAPD. When will the brutality against our youth stop? What can we do to make the LAPD change their tragic ways?
We have to wait for the investigation to play out. Notifying the family 21 days after the death is a big strike, as it allows evidence to deteriorate (and is pretty heartless to boot).
However, I’m skeptical of the claim that he was shot while handcuffed. I think it’s more likely he was shot after he lunged with the knife, then was handcuffed after he was on the ground. AFAIK, this is standard procedure.
Pretty tragic all-around.
Much to his brother’s credit, his blog is playing it straight so far.
moral of the story – don’t jump a cop with a switchblade.
Racist, stupid, ignorant, watching their own backs, covering up ALL their fuck ups, selfish police.
“When people forget the love of power and realise the power of love, the world will know peaceâ€
RIP. I hope your family finds justice.
Where are you getting this from? The coroner examined in handcuffs. But where does it say they shot him in handcuffs?
What were the circumstances behind the other 13 shootings? The police need to be taken to task when they are in the wrong but let’s keep in mind that there are legitimate uses of force too
Doesn’t the LAPD have a long troubled history of undue force especially against minorities, despite periodic lip service about cleaning up their act?
Police officers by and large seem to be improperly trained in handling or recognizing situations where the person they are dealing with is showing symptoms of a medical condition rather than being combative. There have been cases of people in diabetic seizure being tasered because the cops thought they were drunk.
3 · renon200 said
werd. there’s no evidence so far that suggests he was shot after being handcuffed. to paraphrase Bill Cosby, what was he doing with the knife in his hand in the first place? before we all decide to play the racism card, I highly doubt Officer Joseph Cruz is a member of the Aryan Nations. Crying racism after a suspicious person stabs a police officer kills the credibility of actual racist police brutality complaints.
You are right. Coroner examined in handcuffs. I assumed that they would not handcuff a man that has already been shot and killed. But it could be very likely they shot the several rounds, killed him, and then handcuffed him.
I found that stat on one if Usman’s blog and researched for an hour to fact check that before I gave up last night. When I find out, I’ll update this post. Besides Cho and Chaudhry though, SAN’s press release mentions a few other police brutality cases recently – Gonzalo Martinez (Downey), Roketi Su’e (Long Beach), and Michael Byoune (Inglewood).
6 · louiecypher said
i believe that the families of the victims of (in hindsight, unjustified) police shootings are frustrated because, AFAIK, if enough risk factors are present (low light, high-crime area, dark skin, perceived weapon/threatening motion) then any amount of force used afterwards (40-60 rounds, booting of prone suspect, etc.)is adjuged as reasonable under the circumstances by the court system. The officers may be disciplined internally, but they will never see the inside of a jail house (the very deterrent effect cited by Scalia-types as most effective in preventing violent crime).
that being said, the timeline hasn’t been established yet and that is crucial.
LAPD is really a KLPD
Well said Johnny Valker. Police racism is real, but I think that invoking it every time a PoC is killed devalues the charge
Cops have a hard time dealing with those mentally different, and with autistics in particular. They have a set script, and autistics deviate from it without necessarily being a threat. In this case, since the kid had a knife, this made the situation even worse.
That said, we can still hold the police to their own standards. To wait 21 days before informing the family is inexcusable, especially since they knew who this guy was. Furthermore, if he was handcuffed and then shot, we’re dealing with a situation that cannot be justified easily.
10 · taz said
Shooting someone doesn’t automatically kill him. You can be injured and keep fighting. Maybe that’s why they put the handcuffs on him. But I see, yes, your version makes much more sense. They killed him in handcuffs and left the handcuffs on for the medical examiner and possibly the whole world to see so they could go to jail for the rest of their lives.
While this is incredibly tragic there are certain truths to this case that can’t be denied regarding the circumstances. He was hiding behind a bush at 4:00 am and armed and then attacked the officer while armed. Taking that into consideration it wouldn’t have mattered what color or gender he was.
It’s unfortunate that he was Autistic and perhaps unable to communicate and in such a stressed encounter I’m not sure I’d expect the officer to understand. And it is unfortunate but a police officer when attacked is almost alwyas taught to shoot, it doesn’t matter what the attack is with.
I’d like to know who else failed this man if he was Autistic and out at 4 am unsupervised. And if he was deemed homeless it would take some kind of time lag in tracking down his family. What contributed to that being 21 days is not clear.
He mighta survived a taser. The anti-taser crowd always screams murder when taser-suppression is linked to death (usually not the taser but combination of cocaine+other drugs,over-exertion). I think tasers are gentler than bullets…
16 · Janeofalltrades said
Agreed. It’s a very sad situation and understandably his family is upset, but where was his concerned family while he was homeless?
It is quite possible that he managed to stab the officer while he was handcuffed, which would explain why he was shot while handcuffed (if that’s the case). A lot of people would be surprised at what some individuals are capable of even while handcuffed.
I think johnny valker writes op-eds for the la times.
“There still may be some racist cops, and a full probe into the May 1 meltdown should be expected to identify and remove from the department’s ranks any who saw that event as an opportunity to express their prejudices. But more than half of LAPD officers are now members of racial minority groups. The days of an all-white force patrolling a multiethnic Los Angeles are history.”
Because we all know people of color don’t discriminate.
That linked op-ed is a classic example of having it both ways, I look forward to more comments paraphrasing this line:
“It is at least as likely that the department, despite better diversity, improved training and a fading culture of bigotry, is still too quick to resort to force in the face of recalcitrance or flight.”
I am amazed that people are willing to give the LAPD the benefit of the doubt despite a long history of institutional excess, with support from the very top extended to errant officers, despite platitudes to the contrary.
I wish his blog didn’t have to register! He needs to get a hold of Stephen Yagman or Anthony Salerno in LA. They specialize in police brutality cases. I know from experience.
The hysteria of leftists with a soft spot for criminals is repugnant. LAPD is doing its best in a gang ridden city with a mayor who coddles illegal alien criminals.
Honestly I am torn by this issue because an autistic person was killed and his family didnt know about it for 21 days, but on the other hand a officer was doing his job by checking out a suspicious person and get’s stabbed. This officer maybe has his own family that he was worried about never seeing them again and made sure he was going to see them again.
I cant blame the officer for doing what he did, if he did get stabbed. The mest up part is the 21 day period and that is just unacceptable and is a real issue of gross neglect and should be punished. If I could sue them I would and anyone saying other wise is either a coward or just didnt really like that family member that much.
Here is another issue. Why didnt the family check up on a autistic person for that long? Did they file a missing person report after not seeing him for a day or 2 or did they just not check up on him at all until the police called them 21 days later to tell them he was dead?
Cho was not “holding” a tire iron. He was swinging at the police. Chaudry stabbed the police officer with a knife. The police do not get paid to be hit in the head with a tire iron or be stabbed. How were the police to know he was autistic? If he was autistic, why did the family let him wander around at 4 a.m.? The comments here are the standard “I hate the police.” Except when they are being attacked, then it’s “Where are the police to protect me”?
23 · JHFROMLH said
good point. People are talking about how his poor family must be doing during this crisis, but why was he homeless if they cared for him so much? and more importantly, why didn’t they think anything was wrong after he hadn’t contacted them for 21 days (possibly more)
24 · Johnny Valker said
It is not hard to guess why his family has all of a sudden become outraged. A winning lawsuit against the LAPD will bring millions of dollars.
The hysteria of leftists with a soft spot for criminals is repugnant. LAPD is doing its best in a gang ridden city with a mayor who coddles illegal alien criminals.
I could only image the bigger outrage among the left if this had been a illegal immigrant.
23 · JHFROMLH said
nor are they paid to summarily execute citizens. Instead of increased funding for non-lethal weaponry (tasers, rubber bullets can be lethal), we have paramilitary-style SWAT teams in every municipality that can just barely afford it. If they had a way of subduing him, at a safe distance, without the gun, i’m pretty sure they would opt for that.
And yes, in LA, homeless people are not considered human beings (by some of those who should do so–especially area hospitals).
questions for the right-to-shooters: is there something especially unlawful, or leading to disturbance of the peace, about lying down in some bushes behind an apt. complex? Did he have drugs or any other contraband on him at the time? Was he engaged in the solicitation of prostitution or drugs? Was he attempting to harass/mug passersby? Were there complaints made about noise/some other form of nuisance that would cause the residents undue stress? Does the deterrent effect of prison for lethal mistakes on the job make cops less effective in protecting and serving the citizenry, i.e. is it better to give cops carte blanche in cases of ‘collateral damage’ so that they may vigorously pursue criminals?
27 · Nayagan said
No, but stabbing a police officer is. The cops didn’t jump out of their cruiser with guns blazing. They spotted the man behind bushes at 4 AM (which I hope you agree is suspicious), and Chaudhry stabbed the officer without reason.
Somebody mentioned the LAPD and their long history of doing this. While there are some good points about why the cops probably weren’t in the wrong here, let me just say (based on reading the LA Times for the last two years or so) if you’re in LA, I’d be very careful about brushing your hair, stirring your chicken curry, carrying a mobile phone or doing anything that involves holding a narrow object. Or any object.
The issue to me is the 21 days. Where was his body for 21 days? What was his family doing for 21 days?
Did it take 21 days to come up with a story with no holes in it to tell the family? Did it take 21 days for the police officers self inflicted wound to heal up? What were the police doing in that 21 day period? Does anyone know because I only read the post above and dont feel like going through 10 different web sites to read up on it.
TO NAYAGAN If you spotted someone in the bushes outside of your window at 4 a.m. (or at anytime for that matter), even if it an apartment complex, would you call the police? or would you take him some cookies and milk? TO G-MAN Your lack of reasoning and anti-police bias is to be expected since you read the L.A. Times.
I know that the LAPD can be shady as hell towards people of color,I see this as the officer did not have a choice but to shoot this guy as unfortunate as it may be we have to remember that he stabbed this cop,this officer was fighting for was life. I would ask anyone of you would you be thinking at the time I need to pepper spray or taser this guy? I see another problem also nobody seems to care till it happens to a person of his race or religon, I can bet if the person was Mexican,White or black there would not be all this outrage. We as people need to care about every victim of police brutality and stop thinking that it can not happen to us.
I have to say that I don’t think that this will turn out to be a case of police brutality or misuse of force. Police officers HAVE TO be ultra-cautious; otherwise, they get killed. You have to put yourself in the place of the officers at the time, without the benefit of hindsight. These officers had no idea this kid was autistic or that all he had was a knife. He attacked a police officer and, unfortunately, he was killed. If you want to see real police brutality, go to Egypt, or Russia, or China, or India. These are some countries which have REAL widespread brutality problems. These days I feel like a lot of this anti-police protesting isn’t activism, but really NARCISSISM.
16 · Janeofalltrades said
Really good point Jane of All Trades, but I have to wonder why they couldn’t have shot him in an effort to injure him–especially if he were simply armed with a knife.
I had a cop tell me that they are trained to shoot center mass,the officer also told me they do that to avoid lawsuits.
to shalu “simply armed with a knife?” That is one incredibly stupid remark. Maybe Choudhry would simply have killed the officer if he hadn’t been stopped. Maybe the policeman should have pulled out his knife and they could have had a duel. Police are not trained to shoot to injure. They are trained to shoot until there is no longer a threat. In other words, they are trianed to shoot to kill.
With all this stupid left right thinking talking walking, people forget to move forward. 4am asleep the poor guy would be scared. They could have shot anywhere at him, but he was killed. That’s the part that gets me. I have all the respect for the police force, any police force; they are faced with people of all states of mind. I could never do that job.
When you kill someone who have to be sure, you have to be sure it was 100% justified.
Cops don’t do that. For one thing, it’s very difficult to achieve. For another, it’s more dangerous, the bullet could go anywhere else, and your assailant might continue to advance and kill you. As somebody else said, cops are trained to shoot at the center mass. Movies make it seem like shooting a handgun is easy, and you can hit any target you want, but if you’ve even fired one in the range, you know that’s not true, and that’s a still target.
This is why cops are supposed to use non-lethal means to deal with somebody until they are a danger.
it isnt quite as simple. but anyway – this and this
might be interesting to some.
To the cop, who is Hispanic, the deceased would have looked Hispanic (given the relatively low % of S. Asian homeless) as well. I see room for criticism over the notification of kin and maybe a push for the development new & effective non-lethal technologies, but I don’t feel it is right to trash the cop at this point.
The truth is always in the middle. To say that the police are the best thing ever and could do no harm is just a ignorant thing to say To say that the police are never justified in a fatal incident is also a ignorant thing to say.
I tend to look at facts when coming to a conclusion.
A. Police shoot a man that they say stabbed them B. Police keep the body for 21 days C. They fail to reach his family for 21 days
From that you can say A. Police did there job and just plain forgot about a dead young man who stabbed one of them and for 21 days layed dead in a meat locker. He had ID on him too, so it took about a minute to identify him.
B. Police in an attempt to cover up a crime of there own kept a body for 21 days and worked out a story that had little holes in it. As a result a family with a communication problem is pissed.
Lets say that the police didnt try to cover up anything and he did stab them.
Is it not incredible negligent to wait that long to contact a family member of his? Are you saying that this is not suspicious on any level? If you dont think it is then I have a Nigerian friend that is a king in his country and he needs your help by letting him deposit his millions of dollars in your bank account. Just Email it to me at MostGulliblePersonEver@yahoo.com
31 · JHFROMLH said
you have some new information on the case, pointing to the police responding to a call? And is in unlawful to be unseen and unheard in a bush?
The deceased was originally ID’d as black by the coroner:
I don’t know what race the cop believed him to be.
31 · JHFROMLH said
in the very unlikely event that someone crawled up the tree that shades my second-floor balcony, i’d treat them much like the in-heat-and-yowling cats that staked out my boyhood trailer in the boonies–a quick dousing with a bucket of water.
i don’t agree with reasonable cause being based on “wrong place, wrong time” as that frequently leads to either the civilian or the cop getting hurt (or both.) Do I trust cops to always carry out their duties while mindful of my civil rights? No.
has anyone read malcom gladwell’s book, “blink”. he has a chapter about this sort of thing–where a police officer kills an innocent man, b/c he’s dark, can’t speak english, and happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
i don’t know anything about police academy training, but it seems like they need some more simulation excercises to help them differentiate between a true life threatening situation and one like this. i have to say though, in response to one of the comments above that cops don’t seem to be able to differentiate between medical conditions and actual aggressive behavior—cops do bring in a lot of acutely psychotic people to the psychiatric emergency room.
This is a poor blog post, the worst kind of sensationalism and manipulation to score some weak political point. It’s very sad the boy died and the delayed notification is unacceptable at best, criminal at worst, but the boy stabbed a police officer and the cops shot him. You can pretend all you want that the police are some monolithic beast out for colored blood, but this post just shows how ridiculous you can sound when you demonize police officers in an example that really does show the danger of their jobs.
46 · noblekinsman said
The “21” days gap makes it probable that stabbing incident too was concocted, unless proven conclusively. But 4.00am, sitting under the bush and in L.A, is suspicious though..
i agree, illegal immigrants do not deserve due process, much less the right to not be shot on the whims of a cop.
I am wondering why the family did not put out a missing person’s,whats to say that when the police was looking for this guy’s family that they did not just brush it off. I know if I have a relative that has autism I would file a missing person report asap if he or she went missing for more than two hours.
Per his brother’s blog, the last time they met was in November 2007. Doesn’t look like they were that close (not that has any bearing on the case). They say he was high functioning autistic (Aspergers?), they are often self sufficient and you can find people like this who are academically/professionally accomplished. So I can see why they didn’t raise the alarm