LA police move to quell more shooting protests

AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

Los Angeles Police close 6th Street Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, in Los Angeles as protestors rally over the death of a Guatemalan immigrant killed by Los Angeles police Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010.

U.S. and Latin American officials plan to meet in Los Angeles after the fatal police shooting of a knife-wielding man sparked two nights of violent protests.

Police Chief Charlie Beck, city officials and consuls general from three Latin American countries have scheduled a community meeting as police move to prevent more chaos on the streets.

Residents of the central Los Angeles neighborhood where the man was shot and activists took to the streets Monday and Tuesday, using the death to highlight past injustices and vent ongoing frustrations.

Police say they're surprised by the level of protest over the death of Manuel Jamines. He was killed Sunday after police say he raised a knife over his head and lunged at an officer.

Beck and other police officials are scheduled to discuss the shooting at a 6:30 p.m. community meeting at John H. Liechty Middle School, 650 S. Union Ave., an LAPD spokesperson said.

Last night, protesters threw rocks, bottles, eggs and other debris at officers, who declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, because no one had a permit for a demonstration.

More than 100 people directed their ire at the police department's Rampart Station on Sixth Street, throwing rocks and eggs at the building.

Police fired at least two rounds of foam projectiles at the crowd at one point.

Similar confrontations occurred Monday night, though police purposely did not disrupt an impromptu gathering at the site where Jamines died.

Police arrested 22 people on Tuesday night, and four others on Monday night.