Steven Downing, MacGyver producer, dies at 87

Hollywood producer Steven Downing, known for the classic 1980s series MacGyver, has died at age 87 from sepsis. Downing, who began his career as a screenwriter for shows like Dragnet and Kojak, also created Knight Rider and RoboCop: The Series. His insistence that MacGyver never carry a gun became a hallmark of the show. A former LAPD officer, Downing was also an activist and critic of the war on drugs and police militarization, having served as an informant to expose departmental misconduct.