Former Los Angeles Police Department officer Clifford Proctor, 60, has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on a felony murder warrant in connection with the 2015 shooting death of Brendon Glenn, an unarmed homeless man in Venice.
Authorities said Proctor was taken into custody Thursday after returning from abroad. The arrest revives a case that has sparked years of controversy over police accountability and use of force.
Proctor, who was on duty at the time of the shooting, fired two shots into Glenn’s back after a confrontation outside a bar near the Venice Speedway. The incident, which occurred in May 2015, led to public outrage and calls for prosecution.
Despite a recommendation from former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck to file charges, prosecutors initially declined to charge Proctor in 2018 under then–District Attorney Jackie Lacey. The case was later reopened under DA George Gascón, who appointed a special prosecutor to review police shooting cases.
Law enforcement sources confirmed that Proctor had been living overseas until his arrest. Customs and Border Protection officers flagged his warrant upon his return, and he was transferred to LAPD custody.
“This arrest represents an important step toward justice for Brendon Glenn’s family,” said attorney V. James DeSimone, who represents the victim’s relatives. “They’ve waited nearly a decade for accountability.”
According to official reports, Proctor and another officer confronted Glenn after reports of a disturbance involving him and his dog. During the altercation, Proctor claimed Glenn reached for his partner’s weapon—a claim later disproven by video footage reviewed by the city’s Police Commission.
Proctor resigned from the LAPD in 2017. If convicted, he faces life in prison.
