Deputies cleared in fatal shooting of man holding cellphone

A Los Angeles jury has exonerated deputies in the fatal shooting of an alleged East Coast Crip gang member who pointed a cellphone at them as he attempted to evade arrest.

The civil jury deliberated for less than an hour before its unanimous verdict in the 2009 death of Woodrow Player, 22.

According to an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department statement, deputies received a report from a woman saying her boyfriend had stuck a gun in her ribs and threatened to kill her.

En route, deputies spotted a driver matching the description and attempted to stop the car, which was driven by Player. He pulled into a liquor store parking lot on Berendo Street, according to the statement.

Instead of raising his hands, Player allegedly reached to the floor of his car.

He then appeared to comply with deputies’ commands and got out. But he ran across the boulevard and into an alley, twice turning toward the deputies and pointing a dark object at them, according to the statement.