Probe Homeless Shooting Fully

Friday’s fatal police shooting of a tiny homeless woman who was allegedly armed with a screwdriver demands a thorough investigation.

The circumstances raise alarms. The presumably physically fit Los Angeles Police Department bicycle officers (a man and a woman) had eight years of experience between them and a variety of force options, including collapsible batons and pepper spray. They were pitted against a 54-year-old, 5-foot-1, 102-pound mentally ill woman whom they had stopped on La Brea Avenue to determine whether her shopping cart was stolen. The woman, Margaret Laverne Mitchell, was well known in the area and apparently not perceived as a threat.

The actual events are fuzzy. According to police, the woman became verbally abusive when the officers questioned her. A bystander reportedly attempted to intercede, distracting the officers. A chase on foot began at this point. Then, according to police, Mitchell lunged with a very long screwdriver at the male officer, who, falling back and feeling seriously threatened, shot her.

The compelling question, of course, is the use of force. People want to know why two officers were unable to subdue Mitchell with something far short of lethal force. Who really forced the incident to its deadly climax? Was it Mitchell? Did the officers commit a series of tactical mistakes that placed one in the position of fearing for his life? These questions lead to the most troubling one: Were these officers properly trained?

Already, U.S. Atty. Michael J. Gennaco, who oversees civil rights prosecutions, has asked the FBI to determine whether the officer used excessive force or violated Mitchell’s civil rights. “The allegations that have been made in this case warrant a federal investigation,” Gennaco told Times reporters. An LAPD internal review also will examine the case, with Police Chief Bernard C. Parks the ultimate arbiter.

Certainly, too, the Police Commission should have the matter on its agenda for initial discussion tonight. This is obviously a case that the commission’s next inspector general, who might be chosen by the board tonight, should follow closely.

Citizens can have confidence in the officers sworn to protect them only when such tragic incidents are thrown into the full light of public scrutiny. That must happen here.