Rodney King Found Dead, Age 47

Rodney King died Sunday morning. His fiance found him at the bottom of his swimming pool.

Rialto, California Police Captain Randy Deanda said "King's fiance did try to save him, however she is not a good swimmer and chose to dial 9-1-1, and call the police department."

Officers began CPR and took King to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. No foul play is suspected.

In 1991, King was just one of millions of Los Angeles residents, when a DUI traffic stop and beating by LA police officers catapulted him into the national spotlight.  The vicious, brutal assault would have gone unnoticed, except for a rolling camera.

King said "When I saw the tape, I was so happy, that it was on tape, and looking at it , it was like me being in another body." The four officers who were accused of unlawful beating were acquitted in a trial.

The verdict opened floodgates of violence. The April 1992 LA riot was the worst one in U.S. history. Fifty-three people died, more than two thousand were injured. Arsonists set some seven thousand fires causing one billion dollars in damage. At the center of it all was King, who was still healing from the beating he suffered at the hands of police.

King stepped forward to try to heal a city's fiery agony. Then he uttered those words that have since been ingrained in the national consciousness.

"Can't we all get along, Can we all get along," said King.  Words that resonate to this day. Rodney king was 47.