killed: charley saturmin robinet (seen here in his mugshot from 2000) was killed in a scuffle with la police on skid row on sunday, prompting protests  the homeless man who was shot dead by the lapd is from cameroon   but could not be deported back to his home country because of the red tape the man, who was killed on los angeles' impoverished skid row when he allegedly tried to grab the holstered pistol of an officer while police arrested him on sunday, was from cameroon, authorities have confirmed however, attempts to deport him had failed   because the cameroonian government refused to respond to repeated requests for travel documents it has already been revealed the man   whose violent death sparked outrage across america   served 15 years behind bars using the name charley saturmin robinet his deception was discovered a couple of years ago, when he was due to be deported back to france but french authorities realized he was not who he was claiming to be, and rescinded the papers, according to the los angeles times virginia kice, a spokeswoman for us immigrations and customs enforcement, told the newspaper they repeatedly contacted authorities in cameroon, who failed to respond to their request for a travel document because they were unable to get the documents, the man known as robinet could not be deported and was released from prison he served around 13 years in prison for the crime, in which he, an accomplice and getaway driver stole $33,500 in a bid to pay for acting classes at the beverly hills playhouse warning graphic content  shot dead: charley saturmin robinet, circled in red, was gunned down by the los angeles police department on sunday above is the moment directly after the fatal scuffle, after police had backed away  prayers: the community came together last night at a vigil for the man they knew as 'africa' shock: many feel angry at how the man died on sunday, an incident which was caught on camera  officials now say robinet stole the identity of a frenchman with the same name and birth date to apply for a french passport in the 1990s, when he came to the us to pursue an acting career foreign nationals are usually deported after serving their sentences, but because of a 2001 supreme court ruling on the rights of 'stateless' people, robinet was set free us immigration and customs enforcement spokesman virginia kice said she couldn't immediately comment on his immigration history under the terms of the man's release, he was required to provide reports to his probation officer at the beginning of each month,  deputy us marshal matthew cordova said he failed to do so in november, december and january, leading to the issue of a federal warrant   which triggered the fatal clash with police proof? police say this frame shows charley saturmin robinet, circled center, reaching up for a police officer's gun during the fatal encounter on sunday in los angeles  these latest revelations came as the community came together for a vigil for the man known as 'africa' or 'cameroon' to those living in the skid row area many have been horrified by his death the shooting was caught by an onlooker on a video that went viral, leading to protests and calls by civil rights activists for a special police commission hearing on the use of force the head of the union rescue mission, outside which robinet was shot, told reuters that robinet had been living in a tent outside the mission for weeks and had a history of violent, erratic behavior he went by the street name of africa and lived among one of the largest homeless communities in the united states, with more than 3,000 people on monday lapd chief charlie beck confirmed the footage from body cameras worn by an officer and a sergeant provided a 'unique perspective' of the incident however, he said that the force would not be releasing the video yet according to the la times he also would not be drawn on what the footage actually revealed 'at the end of the investigation into this officer involved shooting  we will release the complete investigation through the inspector general's office,' beck said 'if there is a criminal proceeding in this or if there's a civil proceeding in this, we will make all evidence available through those proceedings' killing: this is the moment police fired shots at charley saturmin robinet, who is obscured from view in the above frame by an officer the lapd have claimed he was trying to take an officer's gun  before the fatal shooting: he was being confronted over reports of a robbery before five shots were fired  the three officers who fired their weapons at robinet were veterans of the skid row beat who had special training to deal with mentally ill and other people in the downtrodden area, said beck but a rookie officer who cried out that the man had his gun, leading to the shooting, had considerably less experience the lapd didn't immediately say how much training he had received in dealing with mentally ill people all officers must go through at least an 11 hour course police chief charlie beck said some of the veteran officers had 'completed our most extensive mental illness training over a 36 hour course' initial signs showed the officers used what they had learned during the confrontation, despite the outcome, he said shooting: the attack took place in the skid row district of los angeles, which is known for its large homeless population  'damaged gun': the lapd said this image shows the officer's pistol after the encounter la police chief charlie beck said damaged magazine and a partially discharged bullet prove there was a struggle over it  'the way you have conversations, the way you offer options, the way that you give some space, the body language that you portray, the way that you escalate, all of that is part of the training,' beck said on monday 'i will make judgment on that when i review the totality of the investigation, but on the face of it, it appears they did try all of that' the shooting was captured on video but exactly what happened remained unclear the footage has been viewed by millions of people online several dozen people rallied tuesday in protest of the shooting there was a moment of silence, and participant patrisse cullors declared the shooting site to be 'sacred ground' a memorial at the site of the shooting features white roses placed over a tent, blankets and clothing belonging to the man known as 'africa' angry protests: people walk through skid row in protest against the killing of a homeless man by police in los angeles on tuesday  the specialized training came under the nationwide safer cities initiative, designed to tone down encounters between police and people on the streets footage showed the homeless man reaching toward the rookie officer's waistband, beck said the officer's gun was later found partly cocked and jammed with a round of ammunition in the chamber and another in the ejection port, indicating a struggle for the weapon, beck said 'you can hear the young officer who was primarily engaged in the confrontation saying that 'he has my gun he has my gun,'' beck said 'he says it several times, with conviction' the three other officers then opened fire the man who was shot was black, as is the rookie officer who was just short of completing his probationary year on the force, police said senseless: people protest against the killing in los angeles in the skid row area of the city  the violence had echoes of the august police shooting of 25 year old ezell ford, whose death in a struggle with los angeles officers brought demonstrations in the city ford was unarmed police said he was shot after reaching for an officer's gun video was taken came from multiple perspectives, including two witnesses recording from their phones and cameras worn by two of the officers who fired their weapons beck said officers had arrived to investigate a robbery report and the homeless man refused to obey their commands and became combative a security camera outside a homeless shelter about 75 feet away showed the man pushed over a neighbor's tent and the two people had a dispute when officers arrived, they tried to speak to the suspect he turned and jumped into his tent, and officers appeared to pull it up and over him to roust him from inside the man jumped out flailing and kicking before ending up on the ground in memoriam: this carboard plaque pays tribute to charley saturmin robinet, who was known as cameroon or africa by locals  beck said officers didn't know if the suspect was arming himself stun guns 'appeared to have little effect, and he continued to violently resist,' beck said one witness began filming from a closer perspective as the man took swings, four officers wrestled him to the ground the struggle became blurry and distant, but shouting could be heard, followed by five apparent gunshots the los angeles police department's inspector general and the city's district attorney are investigating the shooting two of the officers suffered minor injuries, including the rookie officer, who is on crutches all four officers are on paid leave
la cameroon french
authorities in la confirm the man shot dead was from cameroon . deportation blocked by cameroon government's refusal to respond . man, 39, killed in violent struggle which was caught on film last sunday . police say the man tried to grab a gun, but footage sparked angry protests . police were trying to arrest him for not reporting to probation officials . originally thought to be french, authorities now say he stole his identity . he gained passport in 1990s under name and birth date of innocent man 