Inglewood Officers Placed On Leave After Killing Of A Homeless man

Four days after officers fatally shot a homeless man who had a toy gun in his waistband, Inglewood Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks broke her silence on the shooting Thursday, expressing concerns about the officers' tactics and saying she had placed seven of them on administrative leave.

Sunday's shooting of Eddie Felix Franco, 56, was the department's fourth fatal officer-involved shooting in as many months.

Three of those slain by police were unarmed, causing concerns among residents and police activists that officers were using poor judgment when deciding to use deadly force.

Seabrooks has also drawn criticism for failing to provide the public with details about the shooting after it occurred. She defended herself, saying she did not want to release information before it had been verified.

In Franco's case, police said officers opened fire when Franco appeared to reach for a gun in his waistband. The object was actually a realistic-looking toy gun, Seabrooks said. The toy had an orange tip, but it was concealed from the officers' view, she added.