Another Trayvon Martin Case? LA Police Fire 90 Rounds at Unarmed Teen, Killing Him

A 19-year-old Hispanic male was killed in a hail of gunfire following a police chase on L.A.’s 101 freeway Thursday night. The wild police chase — and its tragic outcome — was captured on live television.

Cops fired more than 90 rounds at Abdul Ariel as squad cars hemmed in his Crown Victoria on the 101 freeway after the police chase. Evidence tags dot the highway to indicate where shells fell from the point where Arian exited the car to the shoulder of the roadway where Arian died of multiple gunshot wounds.

As he jumped out of his car, Arian wheeled around repeatedly to show police that he only had a cell phone in his hand. But police began firing wildly at him, missing Arian as he ran backwards across the highway.

The teen’s uncle told the media, “He was a nice kid. He was working. He was such a sweet kid, respectful to others.”

“He wanted to be a cop and like I said before, during the chase last night, he was calling 911,” said the uncle. “He was afraid of cops. You know, he told me he wants to be a good cop, not a crooked cop.”

Arian’s police aspirations led him to purchase an old Crowne Victoria — a former police cruiser. But police harassed him repeatedly, telling him to repaint the car because it was painted black and white.

Arian eventually painted the vehicle black.

The youth’s uncle said he last saw his nephew at 6pm on Wednesday night when he left for the gym, where he typically lifted weights and had a personal trainer.

Just four hours later, police say they saw Arian driving erratically on the Northridge Fashion Center and tried to pull him over.
But he refused and police pursued him on a frenetic, high-speed chase through the city’s streets before he pulled onto the Ventura Freeway, ending on the eastbound 101 freeway.

During the pursuit, Arian called 911. “If they pull their guns, I’m going to have to pull my gun out on them,” he told the dispatcher.

But Arian had no gun. Only a cell phone.

Last night’s police shooting is reminiscent of the Trayvon Martin case in North Florida. Martin, 17, was shot by an overzealous neighborhood watch volunteer who shot the unarmed teen as he walked back to his father’s house from a convenience store on Feb. 26.