Rodney King was an African American male born in Sacramento, California on April 2, 1965. In Los Angeles (on March 3, 1991), Rodney King was stopped by The LAPD, forcibly removed from the vehicle she was in and savagely beaten by four LAPD officers; Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Stacey Koon. Rodney's injuries consisted of a skull fracture (possibly more than one), broken bones, chipped teeth, and possibly permanent brain damage. Luckily, cameraman George Holliday managed to capture the entire travesty on camera. Eventually, that video would be broadcast nationwide, leading to the four officers being charged with assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Not long after, a predominantly white jury found all four officers not guilty, which incited citywide anger/anger and random outbursts of violence that gave rise to the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Rodney King became the center of racial tension across the nation. Anger over the acquittal, which left years of unpleasant feelings due to racial inequality in the city dormant, those impure emotions then leaked into the streets causing a five-day period of riots in Los Angeles. The riots sparked a nationwide conversation about racial disparity, economic imbalance and the brutal use of police force that still exists today. Not to mention, the same month as Rodney King's beating, a Korean store owner in South Los Angeles was shot dead. Latasha Harlins, a young African American girl, who allegedly attempted to steal orange juice. Harlins was later found to be clutching cash to pay for the juice when she was killed. The store owner received probation and a $500 fine. Under such circumstances, Los Angeles residents set fires, vandalized, and robbed stores, retail stores, and restaurants. Light-skinned motorists were targeted, some of them forced from their vehicles and brutally beaten in the street. The shooting of Latasha Harlins greatly intensified already simmering tensions. Not only did it create a rift between the black community and the Korean community, but it also amplified the black community's resentment towards the justice system. At the time, African Americans did not feel safe or protected in times of need. During the riot, a bystander, Terri Barnett, remembers seeing police pass by the rioters without stopping. Terri and her boyfriend, along with two other strangers, helped rescue a truck driver named Reginald Denny, who was cruelly beaten by the gang's affiliates. Barnett, her boyfriend and two other accomplices managed to get the truck driver back into his truck and deliver him to the hospital, which ended up saving his life. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Over the course of the five days in which people rioted and behaved chaotically, there were more than 40 riot-related deaths, including 10 situations in which people were killed by police officers Los Angeles and the National Guard. As a result, more than 2,000 people were injured and nearly 6,000 arsonists and thieves were arrested. This event was almost catastrophic, it upset the false utopia that the majority of people had.