Two officers were stopped at a red light when the back window of their patrol car shattered. Fearing they were under fire, police said, the officers got out of the cruiser and fired their own guns at a nearby man they believed was responsible, killing him. When investigators searched his body and the nearby scene, they didn't find a gun or any other weapon. Instead, they determined he had shattered the patrol car's window by throwing a 40-ounce beer bottle.
Victim's Name: James Joseph Byrd
Agency Responsible: Los Angeles Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 45
Race: White
Date of Death: October 4, 2015
County: Los Angeles
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Unknown
Armed: Unclear
Weapon: beer bottle
Threat Level: undetermined
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 886
Geography: Urban