Key Facts
On July 5, 2016, Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old Black man, was shot multiple times and killed by Baton Rouge Police Officer Trevor "Teddy" Dooley and another officer outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Bystander video showed officers pinning Sterling to the ground and one officer firing into his chest and side after reports of a gun. Investigations by state and federal authorities determined the shooting was not criminally prosecutable, concluding the officers acted in self-defense amid a rapidly evolving threat. This explainer outlines the event sequence, investigative outcomes, policy context, and community impact.