Cecilia Lam, 35, of San Francisco, was shot dead in her apartment on October 10, 2014, after a violent encounter with her ex-boyfriend, Cedric Young Jr. The night before her death, roommates found a suspicious substance in a pasta sauce they believed to be rat poison and called police. Cecilia made multiple 911 calls that night as Young returned intoxicated and threatened her; officers who responded detained him briefly for intoxication and released him.

In the early hours of October 10 Young allegedly forced his way into Cecilia’s bedroom and shot her in the head. The family sued the San Francisco Police Department, alleging the department’s response to repeated calls for help failed to protect her. The case drew attention to police handling of domestic violence calls and to survivor safety protocols.