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Photos Show Car Riddled With Bullet Holes After Deputies Open Fire in Willowbrook

Numerous bullets were fired by two LA County Sheriff’s deputies that struck a car in a quick but violent confrontation that left the driver dead in the parking lot of an apartment building in Willowbrook, photographs obtained by NBCLA Friday show.

Ryan Twyman was shot to death June 6 when security video showed Twyman’s white Kia sedan back away from the deputies, who had approached the car on foot when it was stopped outside the South Bay Villa Apartments on San Pedro Street.

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One deputy fired from a rifle; the other from a handgun.

The passenger in the car, Daimeon Laffell, escaped injury. Both he and Twyman were unarmed, according to a government claim filed by attorneys for Twyman’s family and for Laffell. A claim is generally required to be filed before a lawsuit against a government agency. 

Twyman’s family attorney Brian Dunn said last week there were no circumstances that would justify firing into a car — unless there was an active gunfight. Dunn’s firm shared the photos with NBCLA. 

The Sheriff’s Department said the deputies, "fired their service pistols" at Twyman to stop him from seriously injuring the deputy who’d approached the passenger side of the Kia. A total of 34 shots were fired, the Department said.

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Twyman was wanted for a weapons violation at the time of the shooting, Sheriff’s Commander April Tardy said.

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