Margaret LaVerne Mitchell was 54 when she died in Los Angeles on May 21, 1999. According to accounts, Mitchell, who was homeless and mentally ill, was pushing her belongings in a shopping cart when two bicycle patrol officers stopped her, questioning whether the cart might be stolen. During the encounter she allegedly threatened one officer with a 13-inch screwdriver, and one officer then shot her in the chest, killing her.

The shooting drew strong public reaction. Activists and community members raised questions about possible racial motivation and why non-lethal options such as pepper spray were not used. The city police commissioner, Bernard Parks, concluded the officers acted properly. No arrests or criminal charges were filed against the officers. Civil rights groups, including Amnesty International, criticized the department’s handling of encounters with emotionally disturbed people and said the case highlighted the need for better training and protocols.

If anyone knew Mitchell, witnessed the encounter, or has information about how police handled mentally ill and homeless people that day, please share what is known.