Morelia (Mexico) (AFP) – A Mexican man killed by police in the United States in February was buried Saturday in his hometown, with his relatives demanding justice over his death.

Homeless Mexican immigrant Antonio Zambrano Montes was shot dead by police in the US city of Pasco, Washington state, after throwing rocks at officers.

The shooting came after a number of US police killings of non-white victims, triggering protests across the country over the use of force by law enforcement and alleged racism.

At the funeral Saturday in Mexico, family members gathered around a grey metal coffin in the small town of Aquila and called for justice.

“We want justice for the US authorities and we want the Mexican government to make sure the crime does not go unpunished,” Maria Montes, aunt of Antonio, told AFP.

“He was treated like a criminal when really my nephew was not bad.”

Relatives and friends at the funeral wore white shirts with the words: “We demand justice.”

Video of the shooting appears to show Antonio raising his hands while running away seconds before being shot at by police.

The video prompted protests and an investigation in Pasco, while Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto condemned the shooting and the “disproportionate use of lethal force.”

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• police in the United States