Los Angeles Police Department has released bodycam footage from a July 13 incident in which officers fatally shot a 35-year-old Sikh man who was practicing gatka, a traditional Punjabi martial art, on a downtown street near the Crypto.com Arena.

Gurpreet Singh was engaged in the centuries-old martial discipline when police responded to reports of an individual brandishing what they described as a two-foot blade at a busy intersection near Olympic Boulevard. The weapon in question appears to have been a khanda, a double-edged ceremonial sword integral to gatka practice, rather than the machete described in initial police reports.

Gatka represents an ancient martial tradition deeply rooted in Sikh culture and Punjab's history. The practice incorporates various traditional weapons including swords, spears, shields, and wooden sticks, and commonly features in Sikh religious ceremonies and cultural celebrations. The martial art emphasizes spiritual discipline alongside physical training and has been preserved as an important aspect of Sikh heritage for generations.

According to the released footage, Singh was wearing casual clothing consisting of a vest, shorts, and a blue turban when officers encountered him in the roadway. Despite repeated police commands to surrender the sword, Singh refused compliance and reportedly inflicted injury upon himself with the blade during the confrontation.

The situation escalated when Singh attempted to flee the scene in his vehicle while continuing to brandish the weapon through his car window. Police pursued as he drove erratically through downtown streets, striking multiple vehicles before his car eventually came to a stop. Throughout the chase, witnesses reported seeing Singh continuing to wave the sword from his vehicle.

The confrontation reached its fatal conclusion when officers claim Singh exited his vehicle and charged toward them while still wielding the ceremonial weapon. Police opened fire at this point, striking Singh multiple times. Emergency medical personnel transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his gunshot wounds.

The incident has raised questions about cultural understanding and police response protocols when encountering individuals engaged in traditional practices that may appear threatening to untrained observers. The distinction between ceremonial weapons used in cultural practices and actual threats presents ongoing challenges for law enforcement agencies in diverse urban environments.

The timing of the footage release, coming more than a month after the incident occurred, has drawn attention to police transparency practices and the procedures governing when bodycam material is made public. The LAPD's characterization of the khanda as a machete has also sparked discussion about accurate identification of cultural and religious artifacts by law enforcement personnel.

This incident adds to ongoing national conversations about police encounters with individuals from various cultural backgrounds and the need for specialized training to help officers distinguish between cultural practices and genuine threats. The case highlights the complex intersection of public safety concerns, cultural expression, and law enforcement protocols in increasingly diverse American communities.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, with authorities reviewing the circumstances surrounding Singh's behavior on the morning of the incident and the appropriateness of the police response given the cultural context of his actions.