Hear the name Rodney King, and what do you think of? Some think of the racial turmoil in the US during the late 80s and early 90s. Others think of abusive of power that many police officers still take part in to this day. Some just repeat the famous line, “can we all just get along?” I personally think of 1992, when much of my family lived in LA and often called to let us know they were alright, but that (pardon my French) sh*t was still going down. The LA riots were a dark period in California history, and although I was just a kid, I still remember seeing the terrifying images of violence on TV, especially that of a man named Rodney King, whose beating was seen by millions (and even before YouTube!).

King was 25 and on parole after a robbery conviction in March 1991. In an interview in 2011, he recalled he had been drinking and was headed home from a friend’s house when he saw a police car following him and panicked, thinking he would be sent back to prison. So he attempted to flee.

“I had a job to go to that Monday, and I knew I was on parole, and I knew I wasn’t supposed to be drinking, and I’m like ‘Oh, my God,'” he told CNN.

He realized he couldn’t outrun the police, but looked for a public place to stop. “I saw all those apartments over there, so I said, ‘I’m gonna stop right there,'” he said. “‘If it goes down, somebody will see it.'”

An amateur cameraman caught the scene as four white police officers struck King more than 50 times with their wooden batons and used a stun gun on him.

King was beaten nearly to death. Three surgeons operated on him for five hours.

[After a year and two trials, two police officers] were found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in prison. [Two others] were acquitted.

Sadly, Rodney King was found dead yesterday morning in his pool in Rialto, CA by his fiancee, according to CNN. Although no foul play is suspected, a drowning investigation is currently underway. King has suffered from alcoholism in the past, appearing on reality shows like Celebrity Rehab and penning a book called The Riot Within.

Rodney King’s unfortunate suffering struck a chord with Americans and sparked a debate about police brutality and racial discrimination. Although he may be gone, Rodney King’s message will never be forgotten. RIP.