The police report called it a "general riot." Two inspectors, the police report said, found themselves surrounded by a mob, shouting "kill them!" Strikers showered the officers with rocks and bricks and threatened to overturn their car. "Feeling that their lives were in danger, the officers fired two shots from a shotgun and several shots from their revolvers at the men who were attempting to overturn the car," the report said. "The two men who were struck with the bullets from the inspectors' guns later died." Strike leader Harry Bridges told the coroner's inquest that, emerging from the strike kitchen a block away, he had seen no bricks being thrown until after the shots were fired. A second witness saw no bricks thrown, either. He testified that, in response to threats to overturn the car, the officer had shouted, "If any of you sons-of-bitches want to start something, come on."