Barry Prak, a 27-year-old Long Beach resident, died during an officer-involved shooting on June 28, 2016. On that day, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from Long Beach Police, located Prak near Temple Avenue in connection with a prior gang-related shooting. Upon realizing he was being pursued, Prak fled on foot and barricaded himself inside the apartment of a friend.
Officers established a perimeter, and the Long Beach Police SWAT unit was called to the scene to assist in negotiations.
The standoff lasted several hours, during which Prak communicated with officers intermittently, making requests such as having the media present for his surrender. When Prak eventually exited the apartment, he emerged wearing a loose sweatshirt and shorts. Despite officers' instructions to comply, Prak’s behavior was hesitant and erratic. He was ordered to raise his hands and crawl toward the officers, but when he reached within a short distance, he lunged at the SWAT team while brandishing a knife concealed in his sleeve. Officers deployed multiple non-lethal measures, including firing rubber rounds and using a police K-9 named Credo to try and subdue him.
Prak's aggressive advance continued despite these efforts, which led SWAT Officer Dougherty to use lethal force. Dougherty fired several shots, striking Prak, who was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a local hospital. Tragically, Credo, the police dog, was also struck and killed by friendly fire during the incident. This confrontation raised questions in the community regarding police use of force, with Prak’s family and friends expressing doubts about the necessity of lethal action given the circumstances.
In the weeks following the incident, Prak's family, friends, and community members gathered to protest what they saw as an excessive use of force by police. They held a rally in Long Beach’s Cambodia Town to call for an independent investigation into Prak’s death, arguing that his life might have been spared through less violent means. Prak was remembered by his family as a lively individual with a strong personality, who often spoke out against police violence and was deeply involved in his community. The rally highlighted ongoing concerns about the broader issue of police brutality and the repeated use of deadly force in situations involving suspects with non-firearm weapons.
