Warning shot fired in 8 seconds... Police bodycam footage released in LA Korean American shooting death case

Late Yang Yong, holding a knife, refused police orders
Family claims "Unnecessary shooting due to excessive response"

Bodycam footage worn by police officers at the scene has been released in connection with the death of Yang Yong, a 40-year-old Korean American man with a mental illness, who was shot by police in Los Angeles (LA), USA.

According to the bodycam footage released by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on the 17th (local time), police forcibly opened the door to Yang's apartment at around 11:58 a.m. on the 2nd. In the video, Yang is seen taking a few steps forward holding a kitchen knife in his left hand, and the police shouted, "Drop it," firing three shots at the door. The entire incident occurred within just eight seconds.

Bodycam footage released by the LA police of the late Yang Yong's shooting incident.
[Photo by LAPD]

Yang immediately fell backward after the first shot and showed no response. The officers then tilted Yang's already limp body to the side, handcuffed his arms behind his back, and only then checked his injuries. It was confirmed that Yang had two gunshot wounds to the chest and one to the abdomen.

Earlier, police had responded to a report from the LA Department of Mental Health staff and knocked on the door, asking Yang to open it. Yang shouted, "You cannot come in here. I did not invite you," expressing strong refusal.

The police told Yang's family that the only option was to use physical force to arrest him, received the keys, and entered the apartment. The living room where Yang was located was not large, and he was only a few steps away.

The LAPD stated when releasing the bodycam footage, "Investigators recovered an 11-inch (28 cm) kitchen knife at the scene as evidence and also seized narcotics for investigation."

They added, "The LAPD will continue to investigate and analyze this case over the coming months."

After the police complete their internal investigation, a civilian oversight body, the Police Commission, will evaluate and decide whether the officers' use of force was justified.

Yang's family, who had requested the LA County Department of Mental Health to transfer him to a treatment facility after seeing him struggle on the day of the incident due to bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses, are demanding a thorough investigation and punishment of the officers, claiming the police overreacted and killed Yang.

In a statement released that day, Yang's legal team said, "The LAPD shot and killed Yang within seconds of entering his home, showing no compassion or empathy for a person with mental illness or attempting to de-escalate the situation. As the video shows, Yang was visibly terrified and confused about what was happening just before he was killed."

They continued, "When the LAPD decided to enter the home, Yang was alone and remained inside, posing no risk of harm to anyone. The LAPD worsened the situation by entering the home in the manner they chose, which resulted in unnecessary gunfire. We demand a full investigation, complete transparency, and the release of all evidence related to this case."