Long Beach police have released body camera footage of a shooting that left one man dead at the end of an hours-long standoff outside a church in November.
On Nov. 19 around 3:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 5200 block of Atlantic Avenue for reports of a man armed with a gun while sitting on the steps of Iglesia de Cristo Miel, according to a Long Strand Police news release. The person who texted 911 was 38-year-old Brandon Boyd, the man who was ultimately killed.
Boyd told police he sent the text when they arrived at the location.
They said it appeared he was hiding something, but would not say whether he was armed or not. It was just part of what ended up being a two-and-a-half-hour situation, with police calling a hostage negotiator and a mental assessment team to the scene. They say Boyd was uncooperative with their efforts to de-escalate the incident, prompting them to also call a SWAT team.
In the video LBPD released Saturday, Boyd can be heard making such comments, as well as attempts by police to de-escalate.
Bodycam footage shows officers deploying a flash unit and shooting Boyd with less-than-lethal foam ammunition. Afterwards it appears that Boyd grabbed a firearm and pointed it in the officer’s direction.
Officers say Boyd made “suicidal comments” during their conversations and eventually pulled out a firearm and shot at them, sparking an exchange of gunfire with the man and four LBPD officers.
Despite efforts to render aid at the scene, Boyd died at the scene after suffering multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
Watch: Friends and family say police wrongly shot a man outside a Long Beach church
Surveillance footage from inside the church appears to show Boyd opening fire on police.
Police say they found a firearm at the scene and one of the officers was hit in the arm by gunfire. He was briefly hospitalized before being treated and released.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson issued a statement Saturday about the video’s release.
“I recognize the deep pain, sadness and strong emotions that the events of the night of November 19 have caused for many in our community, members of the Boyd family, our first responders. As we face this moment, it is essential that we remain committed to supporting transparency, accountability and the process of justice,” Richardson’s statement said.
The mayor says he has been in contact with LBPD Chief Wally Hebeish and has advocated for the timely release of “critical documents” to ensure police provide clarity and maintain public trust.
“While we understand the urgency felt by some, we also recognize the importance of following established legal processes and guidelines to ensure a fair and accurate review occurs and public confidence in our systems is maintained,” Richardson said .
He further noted that a multi-layered investigation into the incident is still ongoing, both by police and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Friends and family of Boyd could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
