Andrew Lyons, a former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy, was convicted in connection with the June 6, 2019 fatal on-duty shooting of Ryan Twyman in a Willowbrook apartment-complex parking lot.
This story is based on multiple sources, including the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Associated Press, ABC7/City News Service, CBS Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Times. It separates confirmed reports, criminal charges, conviction information, civil litigation, official statements, defense statements, and uncorroborated claims.
Reports
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Lyons and another sheriff’s deputy responded on June 6, 2019 to an apartment complex in Willowbrook. The DA’s office said both deputies exited their vehicle and approached a parked vehicle where 24-year-old Ryan Twyman was sitting in the driver’s seat.
The DA’s office said Twyman put the car in reverse and both deputies opened fire. The car stopped nearby. According to prosecutors, Lyons then retrieved a semiautomatic assault rifle and fired into the vehicle after it had stopped moving. Twyman was killed. The passenger was not injured by gunfire.
The Associated Press reported that authorities said Twyman was being sought for illegal gun possession but was not armed when Lyons and the other deputy approached a parked Kia with Twyman and a passenger inside. AP also reported that surveillance video released by the sheriff’s department showed a deputy opening a rear door of the Kia, the driver backing up, the deputies opening fire, and Lyons later retrieving a semiautomatic assault rifle from the patrol car and shooting at the Kia after it stopped.
The Los Angeles Times reported that video showed Lyons and Deputy Christopher Muse approaching a parked vehicle with tinted windows near East 132nd Street and South San Pedro Street at about 7:30 p.m. The Times reported that Muse was struck by an open door as the car backed up and that both deputies fired as the vehicle rolled backward before coming to a stop.
Allegations
At the criminal charging stage, prosecutors alleged that Lyons committed voluntary manslaughter and assault offenses in connection with the shooting. Those were allegations until the case was resolved through a no-contest plea to lesser felony counts.
In civil litigation, Twyman’s family alleged wrongful death and excessive force. Those civil claims were resolved through a county settlement, not through a civil trial verdict.
Charges
In March 2022, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Lyons with one felony count of voluntary manslaughter and two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, according to CBS Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Times. The Times reported that Christopher Muse, the second deputy involved in the shooting, was not charged.
Conviction and Sentence
On January 12, 2024, Lyons pleaded no contest in Los Angeles County Superior Court case BA503497 to one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of assault under color of authority, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
ABC7/City News Service reported that Lyons was sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years of probation, and that the voluntary manslaughter charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement. The DA’s office said Lyons was expected to voluntarily surrender his California law-enforcement certification and pay fines and fees.
Lawsuits and Civil Settlement
ABC7/City News Service reported that in 2020, Los Angeles County paid Twyman’s family $3.9 million to resolve a federal lawsuit stemming from the shooting. A settlement resolves claims without requiring a public trial verdict on those civil allegations.
Official Statements
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said the conviction sent a message that no one is above the law and described accountability as essential to maintaining public trust, according to the DA’s office.
ABC7/City News Service reported that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it conducted a comprehensive internal investigation into the shooting and that Lyons separated from the department on November 8, 2021. The department also stated that it expects deputies to perform their duties to high moral and ethical standards and will hold personnel accountable when actions do not align with department values and practices.
Defense Statements
Lyons’ attorneys disputed the prosecution’s framing of the case. ABC7/City News Service reported that defense attorneys Michael Rains and Nicole Castronovo called the case politically motivated, argued that the dismissal of the voluntary manslaughter charge supported their position that Lyons did not kill Twyman, and said Lyons accepted the plea because he believed it was in the best interest of his family.
Uncorroborated Claims
No separate uncorroborated claims are included as fact in this story. Claims from prosecutors, civil plaintiffs, officials, and defense attorneys are identified by source and status.
