The Game, Snoop Dogg lead peaceful march to LAPD headquarters in wake of police shootings

Longtime friends The Game and Snoop Dogg both woke up Friday moing deeply troubled by the recent deaths of black men at the hands of police officers. They headed downtown to lead a peaceful march outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.

Then the day took an unexpected tu, when the famous rappers were invited to a small LAPD conference room for a mini-summit on race and policing with Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor Eric Garcetti.

• PHOTOS: Snoop Dogg and The Game march to LAPD headquarters in wake of police shootings, meet with mayor and police chief

Emerging from the room after about 30 minutes, the foursome aounced plans for a new group focused on reducing violence.

“I love you all,” said The Game, whose given name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, at a press conference after the meeting. The Compton native implored everyone to “try and save each other’s lives.”

In an unlikely pairing, two of the city’s top officials -- both white -- and two of Southe Califoia’s most famous African-American rappers were pushed together Friday by the events of the last week: The killings of five police officers in Dallas and the deaths of two black men in Miesota and New Orleans.

Describing the meeting with the rappers, Beck said the group “talked about how similar our reactions were. The Game, Snoop -- they felt rage when they saw the shooting videos,” he said.

“As a longtime police officer, I said, well, there’s a lot of questions on these shootings ... but then of course, when I saw the (Dallas) shootings last night, I’m full of rage.”

Five officers were killed Thursday night in Dallas after gunfire erupted at protest march. The shooting came at the end of the rally to protest the killing of black men by police in Louisiana and Miesota.

In Los Angeles Friday, Long Beach native Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus Jr, called the deaths of the officers “senseless.”

His eyes hidden behind black sunglasses and a black knitted cap snugly fitted over his dreadlocks, he told reporters, “We are here to show love and support to the police force of Los Angeles.”

Garcetti said the details of the new coalition with The Game and Snoop are still being worked out, but he added that another meeting is plaed for next week.

As Beck stood with the rappers, the police chief acknowledged the randomness of Friday’s impromptu event.

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“This doesn’t look like my usual public safety press conference, does it?” Beck asked rhetorically.