Keenan Anderson, cousin of Black Lives Matter founder, dies after LAPD arrest

Body cam footage shows high school teacher pleading with officers, saying: 'Please don't do this'

Keenan Anderson, a 31-year-old teacher and father, died after being taken to hospital. Photo: Patrisse Cullors

A relative of a Black Lives Matter movement founder died after Los Angeles police repeatedly used a Taser on him, body camera footage released by the department this week shows.

The video, taken on January 3, shows Mr Anderson face down on the ground while a group of officers struggles on top of him.

“I'm not resisting,” he can be heard saying. “Please don't do this.”

The officers used the Taser on his back six times over the course of a minute.

The National chose not to share the video due to its violent nature.

Mr Anderson's body was limp when lifted into an ambulance for transport to hospital. Within hours, he suffered cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead.

“This is my cousin Keenan Anderson,” Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors said in an Instagram post this week.

“He was killed by LAPD in Venice on January 3, 2023. My cousin was an educator and worked with high school-aged children. He was an English teacher.”

Mashea Ashton, chief executive and principal at Digital Pioneers Academy, the Washington-area school where Mr Anderson taught, issued a statement saying the institution was “saddened” over the news of his death.

“The details of his death are as disturbing as they are tragic,” she wrote.

“Our community is grieving. But we’re also angry. Angry that, once again, a known, loved and respected member of our community is no longer with us. Angry that another talented, beautiful black soul is gone too soon.

“Keenan was a deeply committed educator and father of a six-year-old son. He had over eight years of experience as a teacher and leader. In less than six months at Digital Pioneers Academy, he established strong relationships with scholars and staff. He was beloved by all.”

A police statement said officers had been responding to reports of a traffic accident.

The responding officer believed it was an incident of driving under the influence and called for backup.

Body camera footage shows Mr Anderson initially stops and speaks to an officer before the video cuts to a text screen that says Mr Anderson “attempted to run away”.

Officers can then be seen restraining Mr Anderson before using the Taser on him and cuffing him.

“While at the hospital and after several hours following the use of force, Anderson experienced a medical emergency, did not respond to life saving efforts by medical staff and was pronounced deceased,” a January 9 update to the LAPD statement read.

The LAPD Force Investigation Division is investigating the incident, news reports say.