WEST HOLLYWOOD—The Los Angeles Police Department is currently investigating an incident involving a man who shouted “White Power,” while using a white supremacist hand signal to racial justice advocates who were protesting outside of a 24-Hour Fitness gym on Thursday, January 31. The individual is seen to be wearing a shirt with logos from the Los Angeles Police Department on it.
The protest was being led by Black Lives Matter activists. The 24-Hour Fitness on Sunset Boulevard is the location of an incident that occurred last year between officials from the LAPD and Albert Ramon Dorsey in October 2018.
During the incident, staff of the gym called police to report that Dorsey was trespassing at the facility. Dorsey refused to leave the gym locker room and got into an argument with gym employees.
Authorities stated that the suspect was a former gym member and was believed to have been homeless. An altercation ensured, where the suspect took possession of one of the officer’s TASERs. He was shot by officers and pronounced dead at the scene. One officer sustained moderate injuries during the altercation and was transported to a local hospital during the incident.
Activists were protesting the handling of Dorsey by the Los Angeles Police Department and 24-Hour Fitness. The activists argued the gym should suspend the membership of individual and not allow white supremacists at their facility.
In a tweet released by the LAPD Headquarters, they stated, “Officers from Hollywood Division attempted to make contact with the individual at the scene, but he fled on foot.” A tweet sent a few hours later stated, “At this point it does NOT appear that the individual in the video is an LAPD Officer, but we will continue to investigate.”
Anyone with any information regarding the incident is asked to contact the LAPD at (800) 339-6868.
