LAPD Officer Involved In Boyle Heights Incident Has Been Involved In Three Prior On Duty Shootings

The Los Angeles police officer seen punching a man repeatedly during an arrest has had three prior incidents on duty involving a shooting in 2010 that prompted violent protests.
Frank Hernandez has been with the force for 20 years and the incident in question happened on April 27 when he was recorded on a cell phone repeatedly punching a homeless man because he was responding to a trespassing call.
The incident happened in Boyle Heights on the 2400 block of Houston St and on the film the man appears to be cooperating and standing with his hands behind his back when the officer strikes him several times in the head and body as the man stumbles trying to dodge the punches.
The man had minor injuries and was released without any charges.
The officer has been assigned to home duty pending investigation with Internal Affairs.
David Winslow is representing the officer seen in the video but would not confirm or deny his identity he said the officers were responding to reports of the suspect sleeping in a tent on private property.
Body-worn camera footage shows that the suspect struck the officer in the chest prior to the altercation seen in the video that surfaced online and says “The use of force is justified because the officer believed he was under attack from the suspect … even though you might think the suspect wasn’t fighting back at that time, he wasn’t complying either.”