South Florida police fatally gunned down a black man as he sat in his backyard eating dinner, calling into question the lack of de-escalation tactics of local law enforcement officers amid national scrutiny.

Broward Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call Friday evening at the home of Gregory Frazier in Pompano Beach. His sister, Deborah, had called authorities after she claimed Frazier, 56, and his daughter were involved in a fight.

However, the fight had reportedly ended by the time the officers arrived at the home. The two white deputies were directed to the backyard, where they found Frazier eating.

Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Show all 19 1 /19 Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors demand justice for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors lie in an intersection during a demonstration for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors lie in an intersection during a demonstration for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors demand justice for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters march throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters march throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters are arrested by NYPD as they call for justice throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters are arrested by NYPD as they call for justice throughout New York City. AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors rally outside the White House in Washington, DC on July 7, 201. Black motorist Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. / AFP / PAUL J. RICHARDS (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors rally outside the White House in Washington, DC on July 7, 201. Black motorist Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. / AFP / PAUL J. RICHARDS (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Demonstators rally in the middle of Times Square after they march through the city and call for justice for Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile on July 7, 2016 in New York. Black motorist Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. / AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors gather outside the White House in Washington, DC on July 7, 201. Black motorist Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. / AFP / PAUL J. RICHARDS (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Demonstators march through the city to call for justice for Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile as they rally in the middle of Times Square July 7, 2016 in New York. Black motorist Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. / AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Demonstators march through the city to call for justice for Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile as they rally in the middle of Times Square July 7, 2016 in New York. Black motorist Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot at close range by a Minnesota cop and seen bleeding to death in a graphic video shot by his girlfriend that went viral Thursday, the second fatal police shooting to rock America in as many days. / AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Demonstrators gather at the Governor's Mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 7, 2016, to protest the latest shooting of a black man by police in Falcon Heights, Minessota. Philando Castile, 32, a school cafeteria worker, was shot by police after being pulled over while driving. The incident was captured in a video viewed by some two million people Thursday, as civil rights investigators probed a similar incident in Louisiana. / AFP / Joy Powell (Photo credit should read JOY POWELL/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police BATON ROUGE, LA -JULY 06: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains profanity.) Protesters dance in the street near the convenience store where Alton Sterling was shot and killed, July 6, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sterling was shot by a police officer in front of the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, July 5, leading the Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police BATON ROUGE, LA -JULY 06: Protesters march to the convenience store where Alton Sterling was shot and killed, July 6, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sterling was shot by a police officer in front of the Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, July 5, leading the Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) Getty

Officers ordered Frazier to get on the ground, to which he responded, “Leave me alone,” according to his nephew Quartaze Woodard. When order to the ground once more, Frazier gave them the same response. Police then opened fire, according to Mr Woodard.

Police handcuffed the wounded Frazier, before attempting to perform CPR. Officers reported that Frazier was dead at the scene.

This is where @browardsheriff shot Gregory Frazier last night. He was eating chicken wings. pic.twitter.com/NeIfnaUGpL — Antonia Noori Farzan (@antoniafarzan) September 10, 2016

Frazier’s neighbour, Pastor Miguel Rosa, said he heard at least five shots, which he initially thought were fireworks.

“I never would have called the cops if I’d known this was going to happen,” Ms Frazier told the New Times Broward-Palm Beach. “They just came in and started shooting right away.”

Unarmed black care worker shot by US police while he was calming autistic patient

Ms Frazier told dispatchers that her brother had been holding a knife – a small pocket knife she said he always carried – but it remains unclear whether or not Frazier was holding the knife when police were on the scene. A representative for the Broward Sheriff’s Office could not comment on this detail when asked by The Independent, citing an active and ongoing criminal investigation.

Frazier’s death sparked criticism of law enforcement in the area, with calls for de-escalation by police and a force that better resembles the populace.