LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Activists in Los Angeles accuse the police department of being heavy handed in monitoring a street vigil after a prominent minister allegedly was beaten.
The Los Angeles Times reports the western regional director of the Nation of Islam, Minister Tony Muhammad, led a press conference Friday with a swollen and bruised face.
He claimed police beat him as he tried to talk to them during a Thursday night vigil for a local resident killed in what is believed to be a gang-related shooting.
Twenty-one-year-old Nahum Beaird was shot dead Wednesday.
Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell of the Los Angeles Police Department said Muhammad started an altercation with police, joined in a mob assault and two officers were injured in the scuffle. Police arrested him on suspicion of battery of a police officer.
McDonnell says police approached the vigil Thursday to get two illegally parked vehicles moved and were surrounded by residents and assaulted.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called for a full investigation.
