On April 29th, 1992 at the age of 42, in the first 24 hours of what has become the worst urban riot in modern American history, bullets claimed the life of Dwight Taylor as he was going to the grocery store to buy food for his family. The violence, which started with news of the acquittal of a group of white police officers accused in the beating of a black motorist, Rodney King. He and two other innocent bystanders were among the first to die that day. Dwight did not affiliate with any gangs. Police say it was a random shooting and no one was ever brought to justice. The Los Angeles Times wrote a full front page story that covered nearly 12 pages just on the killing of Dwight and his greatness as a basketball player. “He never made it,” said Michael Anthony Bell, a school security guard who said he saw his 42-year-old neighbor gunned down and then drove him to nearby paramedics. “He said, ‘Go back and tell my wife I love her. I know I’m not going to make it.’ “Mr. Bell recalled the dying man’s words.  
Compton Senior High School class of 1968 .