According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that its deputies mistakenly shot and killed John Winkler, 30, who was recently hired as a temporary production assistant on Tosh.0.
Winkler had gone to a neighbor’s apartment in West Hollywood on Monday to help after a man was holding people hostage inside. However, when Winkler and one of the victims rushed out of the apartment, he was shot by officers who believed he was the assailant.
“The apartment door suddenly opened and a male victim came rushing out,” the Sherriff’s department said in a statement. “He was covered in blood and bleeding profusely from the neck. Simultaneously, victim Winkler ran out of the door, lunging at the back of the fleeing victim. Both ran directly at the deputies.”
Three deputies fired, hitting Winkler once and killing him. Winkler had just moved to Hollywood within the last year to pursue a career in entertainment, and one of his most high-profile assignments came as the temporary production assistant on Tosh.0.
Winkler’s friend, Devin Richardson, told the LA Times, “It's just a really sad story. He basically went to help some neighbors and ends up getting shot."
David Begnaud revealed a photo of Winkler on his Twitter page:
DEADLY MISTAKE: TV producer mistakenly killed by deputies in West Hollywood http://t.co/6zQoeHChsv pic.twitter.com/qrBSsWYTSf
