WATCH! Video Shows Officer Swerving, Fatally Striking Skateboarder

The Los Angeles Police Department has released dash-cam footage showing officers fatally striking a 30-year-old skateboarder while navigating traffic with sirens blaring. The video, captured on Sept. 19, shows the LAPD cruiser weaving through cars and crossing into oncoming traffic on Figueroa Street in Highland Park, where a local carnival was taking place, according to the Guardian.

Gerardo “Jerry” Estrada, whose family said he was heading home from work, entered the cruiser’s path as it crossed into the center lane. The footage captures an officer shouting warnings just before the collision, after which bystanders can be heard reacting in shock and urging the officers to provide assistance. Estrada was ultimately found beneath a parked car and was pronounced dead at the scene, ABC7 reports.

Police stated the officers were responding to a call to help establish a perimeter during a search for a suspect with a felony warrant. LAPD spokesperson Capt. Mike Bland confirmed the officers rendered aid after the crash. The department has not disclosed the officers’ names or the vehicle’s speed at the time, and questions remain regarding why the cruiser entered the lane where Estrada was traveling.

Estrada’s family described him as a generous and beloved son, brother, and uncle, with a passion for film and media. Community members and family are calling for accountability. “We want justice. We want them to take responsibility for what they did,” said Estrada’s brother, Alberto Cazares, raising concerns about what could have happened if children had been crossing the street.

Estrada, a Santa Monica College graduate, worked at a local beer garden. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family. The police investigation into the incident is expected to continue for several months.

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