Patrisse Cullors’ name may ring a bell since the activist has been on the frontlines of justice as the founder of the Black Lives Matter movement. Sadly, she’s asking for another name to be made known after she revealed through an Instagram post that her cousin recently died at the hands of the LAPD.
“This is my cousin Keenan Anderson. He was killed by LAPD in Venice on Jan. 3, 2023,” Cullors said on social media this week. She included photos of him, one of which showed the victim holding his toddler son as the two smiled. “My cousin was an educator and worked with high school-aged children. He was an English teacher. LAPD has killed three people this year. One of them is my family member. Keenan deserves to be alive right now, his child deserves to be raised by his father,” she continued. The BLM founder concluded her post, adding, “Keenan, we will fight for you and for all of our loved ones impacted by state violence. I love you.”
According to the LAPD, the incident occurred near Venice Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard around 3:38 p.m. on Jan. 3. Officers claimed Anderson was involved in a car accident and “exhibiting erratic behavior.” Police said the victim was running around in the middle of the street when they approached him and as backup arrived, Anderson allegedly tried to flee. As a result, a TASER was used to detain him. He was handcuffed and his ankles were tied together. Emergency personnel transported him to a hospital in Santa Monica, where he went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead.
As of Jan. 6, the case was still under investigation, said local news station KTLA. A GoFundMe in Anderson’s name was organized by Gabrielle Hansell. “Keenan was taken away from us unexpectedly and way [too] soon, leaving Syncere without a father. Anyone who knew Keenan is aware [of] how much he loved his son. Keenan was adamant about raising a well-rounded and properly educated young man. We are requesting any donation you can provide towards our donation goal to help with Syncere’s current education and future college tuition. We appreciate your generosity and well wishes!” the description read.