An Inglewood family is demanding answers after 37-year-old Bryan Bostic died on March 10, shortly after police detained him during a traffic stop and took him to the station. Relatives say they want a clear account of why officers pulled him over, what unfolded during the encounter, and how Bostic went from being booked to found unresponsive in custody. His death has triggered an internal police review, a separate investigation by the county prosecutor, and an autopsy by the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
What officials say
According to NBC Los Angeles, officers stopped Bostic at about 9:30 p.m. at the corner of Hillcrest and Nutwood as he was driving to Gardena Memorial Hospital to visit his girlfriend. Mayor James Butts told reporters that officers said they believed Bostic tried to hide something, that a struggle followed, and that additional officers arrived and placed him under arrest. Butts said paramedics evaluated Bostic, cleared him to be booked, and that officers later realized he was not breathing at the police station and began CPR.
Family questions mayor's assurances
Bostic’s aunt, Marie Darden, told NBC Los Angeles that when she spoke with the mayor, he told her, “I can assure you that Brian was alive in the back of the police car before they got to the police station.” Darden said she does not accept that assurance, pointing out that the department does not use body-worn cameras, leaving the family without an independent video record of what happened. Relatives describe Bostic as a bright presence in their lives and say they are now asking the community to share any photos or videos of the traffic stop that might exist.
Investigations underway
City officials say three parallel reviews are in progress: an internal Inglewood Police Department inquiry, an investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and an autopsy by the county Department of Medical Examiner‑Coroner (Department of Medical Examiner‑Coroner). The county medical examiner notes that autopsies, toxicology, and related testing are all part of the process to determine the cause and manner of death, and that those results can take time. The District Attorney’s Office provides information on how it evaluates in‑custody deaths (Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office), and the Inglewood Police Department says it will cooperate with outside investigators (Inglewood Police Department).
Family plea and next steps
Relatives are urging anyone who may have recorded the stop on a phone, doorbell camera, or security system in a nearby business to come forward. They hope that video or eyewitness accounts can help piece together the timeline of events and bring some answers to a grieving household. Officials say they will release more information as the investigations progress and the medical examiner’s review is completed.
