Family, advocates seek accountability following Brandon Boyd’s death

At a Long Beach City Council meeting on Tuesday, the family of Brandon Boyd — who was killed by Long Beach police on Nov. 19 — and community advocates called for justice and demanded accountability. Boyd’s death, during a mental health crisis, has become a flashpoint for discussions about police use-of-force practices and systemic inequities.

Bodycam footage released by the Long Beach Police Department more than two weeks after the shootout shows a SWAT team deploy a flash bang during the two-and-a-half-hour standoff. Boyd then reaches for and fires a gun at officers, prompting police to respond with a barrage of bullets, killing Boyd on the steps of a North Long Beach Church.

But in the wake of the incident, Boyd's family argues that his death was preventable, saying the use of a flash-bang on a person experiencing a mental health crisis escalated the situation to violence.

On Tuesday, Brandon’s youngest sister, Tiffany Boyd, spoke passionately to the City Council. A commissioner on Los Angeles County's Commission for Children and Families appointed by Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Tiffany has worked with Vice President Kamala Harris and LA Mayor Karen Bass.

The killing of her brother made her realize that none of the work she has done in the community mattered as her brother sat on the steps of their family church amid a mental health crisis, Tiffany said.

“What if I could’ve made that call? Would he have been treated differently?” she asked the council, emphasizing that tragedies like her brother’s could happen to anyone. “This can be you too."

Tyerra Boyd, Brandon’s eldest sister, questioned the tactics used by the Long Beach Police Department, citing its use-of-force policy.

“A peace officer shall not use deadly force against a person based on the danger that person poses to themselves,” she said, noting that the policy emphasizes imminent harm must be more than “a fear of future harm.”

She also criticized the department's decision to deploy a SWAT team when Boyd was experiencing a mental health crisis. Tyerra highlighted earlier assurances from Police Chief Wally Hebeish that military-grade equipment would be reserved for civil unrest or active shooter situations. She believes the decision to bring a SWAT team to the church on Nov. 19 defied those assurances.

LBPD reported that during their attempts to de-escalate the situation, Boyd made "suicidal comments" and eventually grabbed a firearm, firing shots at the officers, one of which was wounded by gunfire. The bodycam footage confirms those actions.

Audrena Redmond, a founding member of Black Lives Matter Long Beach, characterized police actions as unnecessarily escalating the situation.

“What was clear in the video (of the shooting) was Brandon was in distress,” she said. “The Long Beach Police Department and SWAT escalated rather than de-escalate the situation.”

La Mikia Castillo with Black Lives Matter Grass Roots echoed the sentiment, accusing the police of ignoring the family, friends and professionals who could have intervened compassionately.

Castillo noted that LBPD continued to call Brandon a suspect instead of addressing his mental health crisis. She accused police of not seeing him as a human being, adding that “they are the ones who instigated violence, and they need to be held accountable.”

Resident Franklin Sims pointed to racial disparities in policing.

“If Brandon Boyd had been white and sick on Second Street, then Brandon Boyd might be alive today,” Sims said during the meeting.

Sims referenced a 2018 incident where a white man, who police believed was brandishing a gun in Belmont Shore, was subdued with a K-9 unit and survived. After learning the gun was a replica, LBPD Sgt. Brad Johnson praised officers for using restraint to resolve the situation without fatalities. Sims asked why similar restraint wasn’t exercised in Boyd’s case.

Mayor Rex Richardson offered his condolences to the Boyd family and assured the community that the incident is being investigated by multiple agencies.

“I understand it’s the holidays, and there are a lot of questions," Richardson said. "That’s what the process is for — to ensure this incident is thoroughly reviewed."

As the city and LA County District Attorney's Office investigate, the Boyd family and community leaders say they will be watching closely, demanding not only answers but meaningful action to prevent similar tragedies in the future.