By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) – George Holliday, the plumber who shot video of Los Angeles police officers beating Black motorist Rodney King in 1991, has died at a hospital in California due to complications from COVID-19, a friend said.

Holliday’s footage captured the brutality of police officers and racism. This was a pioneering example of citizen journalism. A bystander could document a crucial event and not be overlooked.

Robert Wollenweber said that Holliday was in his 60s and was admitted to hospital with coronavirus. He died Sunday. TMZ first reported the death.

The death was first reported by TMZ. King, who was then 25-years old, was assaulted by a team of police officers in response to a March 1991 traffic stop. Holliday captured this incident on video.

Holliday’s video captured King being beaten in black-and-white and was broadcast on hundreds of TV stations. Los Angeles was rocked by violence over the six-day period 1992 that resulted in more than 50 deaths and nearly $1 billion of damage.

Two of the four officers were convicted and sentenced for two years imprisonment after being indicted on federal civil rights charges. King was 47 when he died. He received $3.8million in damages.

The King Memories video was revived after George Floyd died in 2020. Floyd, an African American, was shot by another witness and killed when a policeman knelt down on Floyd’s neck. It triggered months of protests worldwide against police racism.

On March 3, 1991, Holliday stood on his balcony and used his Sony (NYSE:) Video8 Handycam to record the police officers beating King. Holliday called police to get more information. He called KTLA to get more information from the police, but they refused to give it.

King, who was currently on parole for robbery, led police in a fast chase through Los Angeles. According to NPR, King was later charged with driving while impaired.

King was forced to get out of his car by police after he was stopped. Los Angeles Police Department officers repeatedly kicked King and beat him with batons. Video also shows that multiple police officers stood watching the beating and making comments.

NPR reported that King sustained skull fractures, teeth and bone injuries, as well as permanent brain damage.