List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, August 2020

This is a list of people reported killed by non-military law enforcement officers in the United Statesin August 2020, whether in the line of duty or not, and regardless of reason or method. The listing documents the occurrence of a death, making no implications regarding wrongdoing or justification on the part of the person killed or officer involved. Killings are arranged by date of the incident that caused death. Different death dates, if known, are noted in the description.The table below lists 14 people.


August 2020

DateName (age) of deceasedRaceState (city)Description
2020-08-31Dijon Kizzee (29)African AmericanCalifornia (Westmont)Kizzee was stopped for code violations related to his bike riding. Kizzee fled, and when officers reached him, a fight started during which Kizzee dropped the gun and clothes he was holding. When Kizzee bent down for his gun, deputies opened fire. Protests were held at the scene of the incident.[1][2]
2020-08-31Miguel Vega (26)Hispanic/LatinoIllinois (Chicago)According to Chicago police, officers returned fire after Vega shot at them. Vega's family disputes this.[3][4]
2020-08-25Damian Daniels (30)African AmericanTexas (San Antonio)Police were called to Daniels' home for a mental health check, where they encountered Daniels wearing a gun in a holster. Daniels was agitated, and police "tried to de-escalate the situation for about 30 minutes...in an attempt to calm him down". Tasers were then deployed, and when Daniels reached for his gun he was shot by police.[5][6]
2020-08-21Trayford Pellerin (31)African AmericanLouisiana (Lafayette)Pellerin was shot and killed by police while trying to enter a convenience store allegedly armed with a knife. A witness's cell phone video of the shooting was published on social media.[7][8]
2020-08-15Anthony McClain (32)African AmericanCalifornia (Pasadena)McClain was shot and killed by Pasadena police after fleeing a traffic stop. According to police, McClain ran into the street pulling a firearm from the waistband of his pants.[9] A witness said McClain threw the gun before he was shot.[10]
2020-08-07Julian Edward Roosevelt Lewis (60)African AmericanGeorgia (Screven County)Lewis was shot and killed by former Georgia state trooper Jacob Gordon Thompson (active-duty at the time of the incident) after fleeing a traffic stop. Thompson forced Lewis's car into a ditch, then fired a single shot that struck Lewis, killing him while he was still in the vehicle. Thompson has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.[11][12]
2020-08-04Ramon Timothy Lopez (28)Hispanic/LatinoArizona (Phoenix)Lopez was held by force by a policeman on the ground for six minutes, after which he received burns from the hot asphalt, shortly after which he died. Lopez was also found to have purple streaks on his back.[13]
2020-08-04Andrew S. Gwynn (30)tbdUtah (Kearns)Gwynn was stopped while walking down the street during a routine contact at 5 a.m. Before the police officer could check his identification, Gwynn ran away from the officer. During his flight, Gwynn pointed a gun at the officer and was shot.[14]
2020-08-04David Lee Rigg (44)Caucasian/WhiteOhio (Warren)After receiving a 911 report that a man was beating a woman in front of her children, officers were dispatched to Rigg's house. He initially was seen in his front door carrying a weapon, but retreated back into his house. A crisis response team was called in, and Rigg indicated to them that he "[wanted] suicide by cop". Two hours after the standoff began, Rigg was shot in his kitchen.[15][16]
2020-08-02Christopher Kimmons Craven (38)Caucasian/WhiteNorth Carolina (Mooresville)Mooresville Police Shooting being investigated by SBI. Report pending. Craven had no criminal record. Original 911 call reported domestic incident with Craven threatening suicide.
2020-08-02Cyrus D. Carpenter (17)tbdUtah (West Jordan)After being pulled over in a stolen truck, Carpenter exited the vehicle and shot a police officer in the shoulder. Officers returned fire and killed Carpenter.[17]
2020-08-02Adrean Stephenson (63)Caucasian/WhiteFlorida (Sarasota)Stephenson, who suffered from Alzheimers and dementia, grabbed a knife while in the presence of her daughter and son-in-law. Officers responded to a domestic battery call and found Stephenson outside with the knife pressed to her own throat. She would not drop the knife, and officers first tasered and then shot her.[18][19]
2020-08-07Melvin

Salaythis

(22)

African AmericanFlorida

(Orange County)

Salaythis, a legally armed man, was shot in the back after running from a deputy. The Footage of the shooting was partially caught on video via the body camera of another officer who had been responding to the call. However, upon arrival, Salaythis already had been shot. [20][21] Upon release of the uninvolved officer's bodycamera footage, the usage of the racial slur was confirmed. The officer involved had also been in plain clothes, and the officer claimed that Salaythis's hand had been in his waistband, where the gun was.[22]
2020-08-10Joshua Squires

(32)

CaucasianNevada (Las Vegas)Squires, who was being searched for in connection to an arson nearby ran from Officer Raul Cabrera, led the officer on a foot pursuit and then entered his parents' home and held a woman hostage. During the foot pursuit, Squires fired a handgun round at Cabrera, but the bullet missed him. Cabrera eventually lost sight of Squires, and other officers had to locate Squires, and while patrolling, they located him, in the house. There were multiple people inside the house at this time. SWAT officers were called, and during the confrontation Squires was killed by gunfire. No one in the house, nor any officers were injured or killed. It was also stated that Squires suffered from a history of mental illness.[23][24]

See also

References