S3, E9: Since Brenda's traumatic incident with a serial killer has left her shaken, the department psychologist takes her off investigative duty. To keep Brenda busy, Pope assigns her to a television reporter doing a story on the LAPD. While Brenda and Gabriel are escorting the journalist, their car is attacked with a barrage of gunfire, leaving the reporter dead. Because she is a witness and off active duty, she is not able to participate in the investigation ... at least not overtly. Meanwhile, when Brenda's parents, Willie Ray (recurring guest FRANCES STERNHAGEN) and Clay (recurring guest star BARRY CORBIN - "One Tree Hill"), visit, Fritz meets Clay for the first time. Brenda still has not told her parents about her engagement. Series star Kyra Sedgwick's husband, actor KEVIN BACON ("Mystic River," "The Woodsman"), directed the episode.