Bodycam video released after Long Beach man shot and killed by police
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- The Long Beach Police Department released new body camera footage Saturday of a police shooting outside of a church that left a man dead.
Brandon Boyd, 38, was shot and killed by officers on the afternoon of November 19 near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and 52nd Street. The bodycam video was posted on the police department's YouTube page.
NOTE: The video contains graphic footage and can be difficult to watch. Viewer discretion is advised.
According to police, officers responded to the area around 3:15 p.m. after receiving a call and a 911 text reporting a man with a gun. Boyd was the person who made the report, according to police.
"There is a man with a gun right here on 52nd and Atlantic by the church," he said during the 911 call, according to a police dispatch transcript.
Once officers arrived to the scene, they spent several hours talking to Boyd.
Police said responding officers asked him to keep his hands out of his pockets and could see that he was hiding an object.
Boyd eventually showed his hands, according to the bodycam video, but when asked if he had a gun, he repeatedly refused to answer, police said.
"I'm not here to hurt none of ya'll," Boyd is heard saying in the footage.
"You guys are only doing your job ... I'm not messing with none of ya'll," he added.
In the video, you can hear an officer ask Boyd how he's doing.
"Whatever you're thinking about doing, it's not worth it okay?" the officer said, "It's not worth it."
Police said soon after, a hostage negotiator arrived to the scene and took over. This is when Boyd began making suicidal comments, according to police.
"I know you're texting us because you're having a bad day," said the negotiator.
"I'm having a bad life," Boyd responded. "I swear I tried to wait for ya'll resources ... I swear I didn't want this."
Police said Boyd continued making suicidal comments and said remarks like, "You cannot help me" and "at some point, I'm going to force your hand."
Soon after, a mental evaluation team was requested.
Police said Boyd, still sitting on the steps on the church, refused to stand. Officers could see that he was sitting near a handgun.
"Based on the fact that Boyd was believed to be armed with a handgun in public and not cooperating with officers on scene, SWAT resources were activated and responded to the scene," said police.
Police said that's when the SWAT team implemented an arrest plan involving a flash bang and less lethal projectiles.
"Video shows Boyd holding the gun and pointing it at officers after the deployment of the flash bang and foam projectiles," said police.
Police also released surveillance video from inside the church.
According to police, after the flash bang and the foam projectiles were deployed, Boyd reached behind him, grabbed the handgun and fired at officers. During the incident, one officer was injured with a gunshot wound to the arm. Boyd was killed.
Family speaks out
A week after the shooting, Boyd's family, alongside the Black Lives Matter group of Long Beach, held a press conference, demanding accountability, saying Boyd was experiencing mental health distress.
"He was peaceful and in need of help. Despite this, the police decided to escalate the situation by deploying a flash grenade, a violent and unnecessary act that led to the fatal shooting of my big brother," said Boyd's sister, Tiffany Boyd.
"He's leaving behind six children who will now grow up without a father."
The Long Beach Police Department issued a statement that day, promising full transparency in the investigation.
Family members said Boyd himself originally contacted police to get help as he struggled through a mental health crisis. Boyd's other sister, Tyerra Boyd, said instead, her brother was met with excessive force and she, her sister and niece were beaten and arrested.
"After they gunned Brandon down in front of me, the police turned their violence on me, my sister and my niece. We were begging them to stop, but instead of showing us a shred of humanity, they brutalized us," the sister said.
With Audrena Redmond of Black Lives Matter Long Beach standing by their side, Boyd's family demanded charges be dropped against Boyd's family who were arrested that night.
"We want to charge the officers who killed Brandon with what they did which is murder. That flash-grenade set it all off. That is not a thing you do when someone has called you and said they're in mental distress," Redmond said.
Boyd's family and the Black Lives Matter group also demanded to know what sort of oversight the mayor's office had over the LBPD. They also asked for a review of the LBPD's policies and protocols for mental health crisis calls.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe has been created to help Boyd's family.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK], or text TALK to 741-741 for free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
