Ryan Charles Twyman, a 24-year-old resident of Willowbrook, California, tragically lost his life on June 6, 2019, in a fatal encounter with Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies. On that day, deputies Andrew Lyons and his partner approached a parked vehicle in which Twyman was seated. The deputies were acting on a felony warrant for alleged weapons violations, and the vehicle matched a description provided by detectives.
As the deputies approached, Twyman attempted to reverse the car, prompting both deputies to open fire. The vehicle eventually came to a stop, but Lyons retrieved his semiautomatic assault rifle and continued to shoot into the car, resulting in Twyman's death. An autopsy revealed that Twyman, who was unarmed, had been shot six times, with half of the wounds to his back.
The incident sparked significant outrage and led to a series of legal actions. Twyman's family filed a claim for damages against Los Angeles County, alleging that neither Twyman nor his passenger made any aggressive or furtive movements that would have justified the use of deadly force. The Sheriff's Department initially defended the deputies' actions, claiming that Twyman had attempted to use his car as a weapon. However, video footage of the incident, released by the Sheriff's Department, fueled public outcry and demands for justice.
In March 2022, nearly three years after the shooting, Andrew Lyons was formally charged with manslaughter. The case marked a significant moment as it was the first conviction in an officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles County in 20 years. Lyons ultimately pleaded no contest to one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of assault under the color of authority. As part of his plea agreement, the manslaughter charge was dropped, and Lyons was sentenced to two years of formal probation and 30 days in county jail. Additionally, he was required to pay fines, surrender his Peace Officer’s Standards and Training certificate, and was permanently barred from owning a firearm.
The legal proceedings and the relatively lenient sentence for Lyons drew mixed reactions. While some viewed the conviction as a step towards accountability, others criticized it as insufficient given the severity of the incident. The case of Ryan Twyman remains a poignant example of the ongoing debates surrounding police use of force and the quest for justice in officer-involved shootings.
