Kelly Thomas A demonstration protesting the acquittal of two former officers in the death of Kelly Thomas (AP) Thomas was a mentally ill and homeless man killed by police officers which sparked a nationwide outcry. His death came on July 10, five days after the 37-year-old was beaten by officers. In a video shown in court, he was seen laying on the ground being kicked and punched by the officers as he screamed for his father and help. In January last year, Manuel Ramos was found not guilty of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter and Jay Cicinelli was also acquitted of excessive force and involuntary manslaughter.

Gil Collar Collar was an 18-year-old student when he was killed by a University of South Alabama police officer, Trevis Austin. Mr Austin was cleared of any wrongdoing last year after he shot the teenager who was under the influence of drugs. A grand jury in Mobile, Alabama concluded he acted in self-defence and did not bring charges.

Andy Lopez Cruz Sonoma County Sheriff's office photo shows a replica of an assault weapon that a teenage boy was carrying before he was shot in California (Reuters) Cruz was a 13-year-old boy shot dead after a deputy sheriff in Santa Rosa, northern California, said he believed Cruz was carrying a real rifle. It was reported the boy was told to drop his gun as they crouched behind their patrol car. Cruz, only holding a replica of an assault rifle, turned with the gun still in his hand. Police said Erick Gelhaus then shot him "fearing for his life".

Eric Garner The fatal arrest was partially captured on amateur video. The video shows police officer Daniel Pantaleo placing Eric Garner in what appears to be a choke hold as several others bring him to the ground and struggle to place him in handcuffs. (Ramsey Orta/YouTube) Garner was killed after a New York police officer used a banned chokehold technique to restrain him, despite being unarmed. He was wrestled to the ground by several police officers after a complaint he was illegally selling loose cigarettes. In a video that went viral, the black 43-year-old said: "I can't breathe" which was soon adopted by protesters after Daniel Pantaleo, the only officer that was investigated by a grand jury, was not charged.

Michael Brown Brown was an unarmed black teenager shot by Darren Wilson, a white police officer on the street Ferguson, Missouri. Some said he had his hands up in the air and the shooting led to protests and some violence for 10 days. In November, a grand jury said the officer should not face criminal charges in the case that led to a nationwide discussion about the treatment of black people by white police officers.

Ezell Ford Flowers at the site of a mural in memory of Ezell Ford in Los Angeles (Reuters) Ford was shot by two Los Angeles police officers despite being unarmed. According to a LAPD statement, the officers tried to stop him but there was a struggle. Police said the mentally ill 25-year-old then tried "to remove the officer's handgun from its holster". In December, Charlie Beck, chief of LAPD, said the investigation was continuing after the release of the autopsy report.

Tamir Rice Twelve-year-old Rice was shot by Ohio police in a public park as he was playing with a BB gun. It was reported at the time that a man called police saying someone was brandishing a pistol but added it was "probably fake". The police claimed Rice reached into his waistband for the toy gun when the two officers ordered him to raise his hands. On Monday, Cleveland city claimed Rice's injuries - and subsequent death - “were directly and proximately caused by their own acts, not this defendant” in response to the family's lawsuit. In the lawsuit, the family accuses officers Frank Frank Garmback and Timothy Loehmann of acting recklessly and failing to provide first aid and also name the city of Cleveland as a defendant.

Antonio Martin The black teenager was shot in Berkeley Missouri after police said he pointed a handgun at a while male police officer. The police added the suspect was “known to them" but in the aftermath of the shooting, protests took place as relations between the black community and police deteriorated further. Although videos were released, they did not show the moment of the shooting.