From comments:

The eye witness in the LAT article that was purportedly shot down by a non-existent Cowboy scene…. what about “Keep the Change” which was Released in 1992. It was a Western with William Peresen and Jack Palance wherein Fred played a character named Otis. I am not sure that Otis was killed in either the final version or in any shot version (I have not seen it). However, I do know that films are usually release about a year after they are shot, and if this was released in 1992, this Western was probably shot in 1991 and was presumably very fresh in Fred’s mind when he was lobbying that same year.

A good point. If anybody out there is familiar with this obscure Jack Palance TV movie, let me know. However, even if it turns out to be true, it still doesn’t explain why the LA Times altered the story without noting it.