El Cajon Black Lives Matter protesters attack cars and motorcyclists as they continue to block traffic

Protests of the police shooting in El Cajon turned violent Thursday night, with police using pepper balls and flashbang grenades to disperse a crowd that threw glass bottles and smashed vehicle windows.



At least two men were arrested during the third consecutive night of protests following the death of 38-year-old Alfred Olango.



The unarmed black man was shot by police when he grasped a vape smoking device with both hands and pointed it at an officer.



On Thursday night about 50 to 75 people — a smaller crowd than previous nights — took over the intersection of Broadway and Mollison Avenue.



The violence began about 8 p.m. when the crowd stopped passing vehicles and broke several of their windows, police said.



At one point, a man laid down his motorcycle in the intersection when he lost control of it, and a scuffle broke out between the rider and the protesters.



Police said they received several 911 calls about the altercation.



Sheriff’s deputies and officers from several police departments formed a line, facing off with the crowd in their riot gear.



Shortly after, a sheriff’s helicopter declared the protest an unlawful assembly and instructed protesters to disperse or risk arrest.



Police said some demonstrators threw glass bottles, and officers responded by firing pepper balls at the crowd.



Two men from El Cajon, ages 19 and 28, were arrested on suspicion of engaging in an unlawful assembly. Their names were not released.