A march for a man shot and killed by police ended with protesters being shot by rubber bullets

A march for a Los Angeles man killed by sheriff’s deputies last week ended with a clash between police and protesters in Compton Sunday.

Earlier in the day, family members of Andres Guardado gathered in Gardena to commemorate his life and call for justice in his killing.

After making the 3.8 mile trek to the sheriff’s station in Compton, tensions between protesters and deputies boiled over.

As deputies called for a large group to back up, many fled only to be tear gassed and struck with rubber bullets on the steps of the sheriff’s office.

One demonstrator, who gave the name Five Kisses, said she marched today to show unity between brown and Black people, and ask for answers in Guardado’s death.

She said that as she tried to pull other attendees back from the police, she and others were struck by rubber bullets.

“I tried to get them to come back. They just wouldn’t stop shooting,” she said, “And now here we are: getting shot, getting tear gassed. And we’re supposed to be here in memory of Andres.”

A CNN crew on scene witnessed several people being detained following the incident.

The incident comes as protests against police brutality and calls for reform and defunding ring out nationwide in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis last month.

As a result, increased scrutiny has been placed on the police and their handling of fatal shootings. Guardado’s death is no different.

Questions surrounding the shooting remain

The 18-year-old Guardado was approached Thursday by deputies who saw him in front of a business on West Redondo Beach Boulevard, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau Capt. Kent Wegener said during a press conference Saturday.

Guardado “reportedly looked toward the deputies” and “produced a handgun” before running down the driveway of the business, Wegener said.

He was pursued by the deputies, one of whom fired six rounds.

Guardado was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot in the upper torso, according to Wegener.

The Los Angeles County Coroner told CNN that an autopsy is pending.

A .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with no serial number and an illegal extended magazine loaded with 13 rounds was recovered at the scene, Wegener said.

Guardado’s cousin Steve Abarca told CNN Sunday that he “never even knew him to have any sort of gun.”

Wegener said he was aware of reports that Guardado may have been working as a security guard but he was not wearing a uniform and not legal age to work as an armed security guard in the state of California.

Investigators have obtained search warrants and collected cameras from the scene but are still working to determine whether there is any video footage of the shooting.

The deputies involved were not wearing body worn cameras, prompting Sheriff Alex Villanueva to highlight how important the use of those devices are in these situations.

When reached by CNN Sunday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had no further updates on the case.

“He was a baby, he was a baby,” Celina Abarca, another cousin of Guardado, told CNN through tears on Sunday. “I don’t know — it’s still not real. I close my eyes and I hope and I pray that it’s not really happening.”

“We just want answers,” Celina Abarca said.