Police in Washington fatally shot a man who was throwing rocks at them, officials confirmed Wednesday, as purported footage of his death sparked protests and online anger.
Officers responded to a busy intersection Tuesday after receiving reports that a man was throwing rocks at vehicles, according to Police Chief Bob Metzger of the Pasco Police Department.
Metzger said Antonio Zambrano-Montes threw at least one "softball size" rock and did not respond to the officers' orders to put down the projectiles. He said officers deployed a Taser, but that it had no effect on Zambrano-Montes.
Police said Zambrano-Montes was pronounced dead on the scene and identified the officers as Ryan Flanagan, Adam Wright, and Adrian Alaniz. The shooting is under investigation and the officers have been placed on administrative leave, according to the statement.
Amateur footage was posted to YouTube but its authenticity could not be immediately verified by NBC News. A request to police for comment on the video was not immediately returned.
NBC station KNDO/KNDU reported that protesters began assembling outside Pasco City Hall at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
"We just want justice because today it happened to us, tomorrow it could be any other family," Blanca Zambrano, a cousin of Zambrano-Montes, told KNDO/KNDU. "It could have been avoided, there could have been other ways around it," she continued in Spanish. "[The family] can't believe it."
She said Zambrano-Montes, who had two daughters, worked at an orchard and had lived in Pasco for more than 10 years. She said he recently suffered from depression after breaking both wrists in an accident at work.
