Black Lives Matter and other community activists shut down South 78th Street in Tampa's Clair Mel community on Labor Day, demanding justice for Levonia Riggins.

  • Levonia Riggins, 22, was shot on August 30 by a HCSO SWAT member
  • Protests began in his Clair Mel community shortly after
  • On Labor Day, peaceful protesters blocked South 78th Street for two hours

Riggins, who is known as "Daddyman" in the community, was shot and killed by Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy Caleb Johnson on August 30 while deputies were executing a search warrant at his home.

Activists stopped their march in front of the Git'N'Go convenience store where Riggins worked. They had a portion of the street blocked off for more there two hours, while they demanded Deputy Johnson be arrested and put in jail.

Their protest remained peaceful, as more than a dozen Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies stood by, helping to redirect traffic.

Riggins' oldest brother Carniellius Branton marched with them. He told reporters his brother was adopted and had lived in the neighborhood since he was 6 years old.

"We're destroyed," said Branton. "It's a sad sad tragedy. We all out here to make sure that  the officer goes to jail and everything."

Deputies said Riggins refused to leave his home with the rest of family members during the execution of the search warrant on August 30.

RELATED: Levonia Riggins, 22, dies at the hospital after being shot once

When SWAT team members smashed his bedroom window, and yelled for him to show his hands, they said Riggins stayed in bed under his covers and then moved between his bed and the wall. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said that's when Riggins reached toward his waistband, prompting Deputy Johnson to shoot him once.

Riggins was taken to the hospital where he later died.

The HCSO said Riggins was a part of a month long investigation involving deputies buying drugs from him. There were protests for three days after his death, some of them turning violent.

The state attorney's office is investigating the case.