Deputies in Southern California shot dead an armed black man who refused to drop his weapon, according to law enforcement authorities, but a video posted online by local media appeared to show him crawling away from the officers as they shot him.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department could not be reached immediately on Sunday to comment on the reports of the video capturing the incident, which occurred a day earlier.

There is currently heightened scrutiny in the United States over police use of lethal force, especially against unarmed black people. Over the past year, numerous protests have been held across the United States against the police, and some have turned violent.