Homicide Report > Woodrow Player III, 22 [Updated]
Woodrow Player III, 22 [Updated]
Died July 10, 2009 at 9:17 p.m.
Woodrow Player III, a 22-year-old black man, was shot several times by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies and died on July 10 in the 11200 block of Berendo Avenue in unincorporated Athens.
Civil rights leaders called for a federal investigation.
Player was shot as he ran from deputies in the 11200 block of Berendo Avenue about 8:45 p.m. Friday, authorities said.
Investigators said they recovered a gun from Player's car, but witnesses said he was unarmed when deputies shot him in the back.
Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore promised a thorough review of the shooting.
"This will be examined from top to bottom. And if there are any inconsistencies, they will be brought forth," Whitmore said.
But Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, and Eddie Jones of the L.A. Civil Rights Assn. joined Player's relatives Saturday at the place where Player was shot to call for a federal investigation.
"We have no confidence in the Sheriff's Department to investigate itself," Hutchinson said, dismissing the sheriff's Office of Independent Review, which is investigating.
— Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Athens
Read more: Deputies kill man in Athens; rights groups want an investigation
[Update September 29, 2011: Deputies cleared in fatal shooting of man holding cellphone]
Photo: Woodrow Player III, 22, pictured with his wife Tyisha in a family portrait
- Neighborhood: Westmont
- Age: 22
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Friday
- Agency: LASD Homicide
- Race/Ethnicity: Black
- Circumstance: Officer-involved
- Crime scene: Public place
11 reader comments about Woodrow Player III
If you run from the police and don't do what they tell you to, you should be shot. Maybe people will start listening to the police.
June 3, 2010 at 4:36 p.m.
I bet they shot him in the back...la times can we get a up date????????????
June 12, 2010 at 4:18 a.m.
Why did he have a gun in his car?
June 12, 2010 at 11:34 a.m.
-Christian,
That can cut both ways, take a good look at the police in some of the countries just south of ours.
Better yet, go visit one of those countries, you will get a first hand experience of what happens when police get drunk of their authority.
Its a very real reality that can happen just as easy here.
I'm not justifying Woodrow's actions at all, I'm just saying be carefull what you wish for.
June 12, 2010 at 1:59 p.m.
Running from the police does not justify being shot and killed. Whatever happened to rubber bullets or stunn guns. Their definetly not being used. A senseless deaf because a PIG cop got his ego broken when a black man decided to run from him. Corrupt
June 24, 2010 at 5:35 p.m.
Hey Tiara, maybe you should wait just a little bit for all the facts to come out before pronouncing your 'PIG cop' with a 'broken ego' judgment. None of us can know what really happened just from this short description, right?
June 28, 2010 at 2:46 p.m.
@ Christian, I truly hope you never sit on the side in which you judge... Is it your opinion that if a person runs from the police they should be shot in the back?. And lose their life. Wow talk about shallow.
Sadden,
July 20, 2010 at 7:37 p.m.
yeah from what i read its the same dude who killed a lapd officer stepson back in 07 karma
June 25, 2011 at 7:31 p.m.
Is this the same Woodrow Player they list as the murderer of Joseph Watson? Too bad they didn't take this punk out before he had the chance to take an innocent kids life.
Sept. 22, 2011 at 12:43 p.m.
for all u people that have something bad to say about my friend forget all yall..you didnt kno him so dont judge him and he was unarmed and he didnt kill anyone for yall information he was innocent..so speak what u kno u crul ass people
April 24, 2012 at 9:28 p.m.
@Curious,
Yes, this is the same guy that killed Joseph Watson in 2007.
@anonymous,
This is a public forum and we can say anything we like. Your friend Woodrow is no innocent person. Your pal was acquitted in the killing of Joseph Watson, that's not the same thing as being proven innocent. Joseph fought his whole short life to stay away and out of gangs. But that was something Woodrow could not accept, so he killed him. If Woodrow had been convicted, he most likely would be alive today, he was safer in jail. He was also driving around with a gun in the car the night he ran from the cops and was shot. Great friend. You must be so proud. Woodrow was a sociopath and a gangster. I only feel sorry for his family who have to pick up the pieces this jerk left behind. Maybe now his wife can find a better role model for his two kids. Why was he driving around with a gun in the car instead of being a good father?? Good riddance. His family also filed a wrongful death suit against the deputies from the LA Sheriff's Department for wrongful death in the shooting of Woodrow. A jury deliberated for less than an hour and found no wrongdoing by the officers. And if you want to throw the race card at that, the deputies were represented by Rickie Ivie. He is one of the most prominent African American lawyers in California and was named Lawyer of the Year for 2011.
May 3, 2012 at 9:36 p.m.
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