Deacon Turner
Encyclopedia
David Lee "Deacon" Turner (January 2, 1955 — July 10, 2011) was a former professional American football
running back
in the National Football League
. He attended San Diego State University
. He played with the Cincinnati Bengals
from 1978 to 1980.
On July 10, 2011, Turner was fatally shot during an altercation with Kern County Sheriff deputies in Bakersfield, California
in which he allegedly swung a bag of unopened beer at a deputy. Witnesses at the scene alleged that one deputy struck him from behind with a baton as he attempted to walk away. His son, with him at the time, claims that deputies fired when Turner fell and the beer can that he was carrying exploded after hitting the ground. He was 56 years old.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He attended San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. He played with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
from 1978 to 1980.
On July 10, 2011, Turner was fatally shot during an altercation with Kern County Sheriff deputies in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
in which he allegedly swung a bag of unopened beer at a deputy. Witnesses at the scene alleged that one deputy struck him from behind with a baton as he attempted to walk away. His son, with him at the time, claims that deputies fired when Turner fell and the beer can that he was carrying exploded after hitting the ground. He was 56 years old.