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A homeless man shot dead by police in Los Angeles was not French, a spokesman for the French foreign ministry said late Tuesday, contradicting a report in the LA Times.
“On checking, this man is not a French national,” the spokesman told AFP, adding that France had informed the US authorities.
LA police chief Charlie Beck said the victim, who police have not identified, tried to grab a gun from an officer who was trying to restrain him on the city’s Skid Row homeless district.
The killing Sunday was caught on amateur video which went viral, triggering widespread criticism of police tactics.
On Tuesday dozens of people attended a protest outside LA police headquarters to condemn the killing and demand Beck’s resignation.
The LA Times had identified the man as 39-year-old French national Charley Saturmin Robinet.