Alton Sterling was a 37-year-old CD vendor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On July 5, 2016, police received an anonymous report that a man in a red shirt was selling CDs and that he had threatened a man with a gun outside a convenience store. When the officers arrived, they forced Alton to the ground, pinning him down by kneeling on his chest and thigh. One officer claimed Alton reached for his pockets for a gun, at which point he fired six shots at close range, killing Alton.

There were several eyewitness videos and accounts, including the store owner who denied initial reports that Alton was waving a gun. The owner did confirm Alton, known locally in Baton Rouge as "CD Man," had just started carrying a gun a few days prior to the event, given the recent robberies of other CD vendors. However, he also said that Alton was "not the one causing trouble" during the situation that led to the police being called. Bodycam footage from the officer who shot Alton showed that seconds after arriving, the officer had drawn his gun and threatened to shoot him.

The shooting led to protests in Baton Rouge. No charges were brought against the police officers. The officer who killed Alton was later fired for violating use of force policies, while the other officer was suspended for losing his temper.

In 2019 the Baton Rouge Chief of Police publicly apologized to Alton Sterling’s family and acknowledged the officer who killed Alton should have never been entrusted with a badge. "We are sorry, Baton Rouge. I want to apologize to the family of Alton Sterling and also to his kids," the police chief said. "We're sorry because he should have never been hired. And while we obviously cannot change the past, it is clear that we must change the future, and I sincerely apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in building barriers in communities of color in Baton Rouge."