A video showing a disheveled and apparently homeless man dropped off in San Pedro by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy has sparked outrage from residents and a Los Angeles city councilman’s demand for an investigation into allegations of homeless “dumping.”

Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Del Pinto of the Lomita sheriff’s station said the department is conducting an internal investigation into the incident, which occurred about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. He said he was not aware of the arrest warrant that had been issued for the transient.

According to a resident who took the video, the man identified himself as Zeus, but officials later identified him as John Thomas Bryan, 54. It was not yet known why deputies dropped him on 25th Street near Mermaid Street, about a quarter-mile from the Los Angeles border with Rancho Palos Verdes.

RELATED STORY: Sheriff’s Department disputes ‘dumping’ homeless man in San Pedro, calls it ‘act of compassionate service’

Sheriff’s deputies patrol three cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula but only Rancho Palos Verdes shares a border with San Pedro. The city of Lomita, however, also is adjacent to the port community.

A photo taken later in the day on Tuesday showed the man lying on the sidewalk. Chris Balonek, who oversees a crime page on Facebook, was there shortly after the drop-off.

“He only made it about 2,000 feet before he collapsed,” he said, adding that the man apparently had physical problems and appeared to be trying to scoot into the street. A Fire Department rescue unit responded but the man declined treatment, Balonek said.

“This was a residential neighborhood, there are kids there and it’s getting dark, it’s rush-hour traffic,” Balonek said. “He wasn’t safe and the community wasn’t safe.”

Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who represents San Pedro, was livid when he learned of the incident. He called for a “robust” investigation, including looking into possible costs incurred by the city of Los Angeles as a result of the apparent dumping.

Buscaino has said that the city of Los Angeles already shoulders more than its share of the burden in dealing with the widespread regional homeless problem. In the video, he said, “the individual displayed characteristics of a person who may be experiencing homelessness and mental illness.”

“It was determined by LAPD that a warrant was out for this individual’s arrest,” stated Buscaino’s motion to the City Council. “The individual is now booked at the 77th (Street) jail. Given the evidence, a robust investigation is warranted. If substantiated, the actions of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department jeopardized the safety of Los Angeles residents and resulted in additional cost to Los Angeles taxpayers.”

The posting of the video Tuesday night on social media led to an eruption of comments that all quickly went viral. Wrote one resident on NextDoor: “No wonder why you never see homeless people in p.v.”

Los Angeles County Superior Court records show Bryan was convicted of drunken driving in 1994, and was charged with robbery in 1995. The disposition of that case was not available.

He was being held on $412 bail.

Mike Olivieri, who lives near the area where Bryan was let off by deputies, said he took the video of the incident with his cellphone.

The video shows two sheriff’s patrol cars pulling over the to curb, he said. Bryan, Olivieri said, was flailing his arms.

After pulling over to the curb, he said, one deputy got out of her patrol car and opened the rear passenger door to let Bryan out.

“She let this guy out who was obviously homeless, disheveled and mentally ill. … They just let him walk off.”

As shown in the video, the deputy then drove away as Bryan continued walking down the street. He later was questioned by Los Angeles police officers at a nearby 7-Eleven store and then arrested for the outstanding warrant.

There have long been suspicions in the community that homeless people from Long Beach and other areas were being dropped off by authorities in San Pedro. Those allegations have consistently been denied by authorities.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said the real cause for anger should be that the man was not taken where he could receive medical or psychological help.

She directed caseworkers from the Department of Mental Health and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to meet with Bryan at the jail in order to connect him with homeless services and shelter.

“I am aware of the video circulating of what appears to be sheriff’s deputies dropping off a homeless man with apparent mental health issues in San Pedro,” Hahn said in a written statement. “I have asked Sheriff (Jim) McDonnell to investigate the incident. This man clearly needed help and — regardless of whose jurisdiction it was in — we should be angry that this man did not get the help he needed.”

Del Pinto of the Sheriff’s Department said it is not known why Bryan was dropped off where he was.

“It didn’t look right to me,” Olivieri said of the scene he recorded. “That’s not the solution, bringing them to San Pedro. We have enough issues.”