Rodney King Found Dead at 47

Rodney King, whose beating by police in 1991 led to the Los Angeles riots after the involved officers were acquitted, has died, CNN reports. He was 47.

King was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool Sunday morning, authorities and his fiancée, Cynthia Kelley, confirmed. The news was first reported by TMZ.

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King gained national attention in 1991 when he was the victim of police brutality in Los Angeles. He was pulled over for speeding and struck more than 50 times with wooden batons. Although a bystander videotaped most of the incident, the four officers involved were acquitted in state court a year later. The announcement of the verdict sparked the Los Angeles riots, which resulted in 53 deaths, more than 2000 injuries and an estimated $1 billion in property damage.

A subsequent federal trial for civil rights violations found two of the officers guilty and sent them to prison. King also sued the city of Los Angeles over the incident and settled for $3.8 million.

King was featured on the second season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew in 2008.