Rodney King, the victim of a police beating that was captured on video and sparked riots in the early '90s, was found dead in a swimming pool Sunday morning near Los Angeles. He was 47. There were no signs of foul play, according to CNN.
Known for his memorable quote, "People, I just want to say, can we all get along? Can we get along?," King was beaten by four Los Angeles police officers in April, 1991 after a high-speed chase. When the four officers were tried for the beatings, three were acquitted and one's court proceeding was declared a mistrial.
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The result of those verdicts was intense rioting in Los Angeles, resulting in more than 50 deaths, $1 billion in property damage and a sea change in the way race is discussed in the United States.
Twitter lit up with the news Sunday morning with King as the top trending topic. Most stated a simple RIP, but others conveyed poignant and meaningful statements:
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#RIP Rodney King. #Retweet for Respect. bit.ly/P4w5QU
— #TeamWIZ (@ReaIWizKhaIifaa) June 17, 2012
Rodney King has died. His statement during the LA riots is really moving & worth remembering: bit.ly/L6fDBx
— Johann Hari (@johannhari101) June 17, 2012
Rodney King was the reason my parents had a 3 VCR's when the L.A. riots happened.
— Beyoncé | Lady GaGa (@iFreakum) June 14, 2012
Rodney King seemed to have a sweetness he couldn't hide and a hurt he couldn't contain. #RIP
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) June 17, 2012
R.I.P. Rodney King. Never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.
— D Burrie (@DBoftheCLE) June 17, 2012
Graphic courtesy Jet magazine
This story originally published on Mashable here.
