Back outside City Hall, Andrea Blount said she took time off from her day -- traveling from outside the county where she lives -- to offer solidarity to activists. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Sign Up for Daily News & Breaking News Newsletters, Sign up for Digging Deep: Inside KXAN Investigates newsletter. Last week a Dallas-area police officer was arrested on charges of murder and aggravated assault, accused of fatally shooting a 16-year-old and wounding another juvenile while off duty following a car chase. One there, Freeman (who also is African American) said he encountered a naked Joseph. Acevedo, the police chief who fired Freeman, said he did not think race played a role in the shooting. Watch it here. He did not respond to requests to talk. Support the Chronicle, Austin Police Department headquarters Downtown, Phase C to examine APD complaint and grievance procedures, APD officer alleged to have shot minor with a beanbag round in 2021, Nonprofit plans to sell the property, offered little advance notice, One click gets you all the newsletters listed below, Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events. I mean, protecting minorities lives should not be a slow process. But audio was recorded. On Thursday, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo promised to complete the internal investigation within 30 days, after community organizers from the Austin Justice Coalition, Black Lives Matter Austin and others demanded a quick and thorough investigation. By this time, nearly a year into her work, Vanessa had not gotten a mural painted and her efforts at police reform had gotten nowhere. (Twitter) Joseph was a student at John B. Connally High School in Austin.. Conversation or not.. Do you think about him as much as I do? Victim David Joseph Died Feb. 8, 2016 Officer Freeman shot and killed Joseph while responding to a disturbance call in the 12300 block of Natures Bend in Northeast Austin. "It's sort of like a movie," said attorney David Moye, who represents State Police Cpl. At first glance, this is what makes Vanessa stand out: She wears a flannel hunter cap year-round. AUSTIN, TX The black teenager fatally shot by an Austin police officer Monday morning after a confrontation was unarmed, law enforcement officials confirmed in a Tuesday afternoon press conference. David Joseph, 17, died on Monday after Officer Geoffrey Freeman shot the teen in the 12000 block of Natures Bend. Any adult African-American looks like what David could have looked like if he was not stripped of the opportunity to grow up.. David had no weapon. She fears for her two remaining sons in the United States. Officer Geoffrey Freeman cited for violating numerous department policies when he shot and killed David Joseph last month within seconds of encountering him. The teenager was unarmed. We can help. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The shooting also caught the attention of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who invited Sully and Josephs two brothers, Mark and Fally Joseph, to attend a speaking event while she was on a fundraising tour in Texas last month. April 20, 2016By Tony Plohetski, Austin police officer fired over David Joseph shooting files appeal As a result, he called for backup while he was en route to the scene. Freeman, an African-American, was fired by then-Police Chief Art Acevedo for using unnecessary lethal force but appealed that decision and reached a financial settlement with the city in December. But with Josephs death just a few days before still fresh on their minds and with their emotions stillraw, activists interviewed voiced their hopes for more immediate action. Updated May 18, 2016 at 5:45pm. We commissioned an artist to paint a mural of my cousin who was killed on Feb. 8 by a police officer. Both the officer and the teenager are black. Support the free press, so we can support Austin. At the same time, she said shes grown concerned about the negative perception many in the country have of police. in a spontaneously staged press conference near the site of the shooting, police told reporters the naked suspect charged at an officer before being shot. Assistant Police Chief Brian Manley would not speculate why Freeman did not use his. Even before Freeman encountered Joseph, he told investigators he suspected that Joseph was possibly experiencing excited delirium or maybe a mental breakdown of some sort, based on the 911 calls police were receiving. Many officials she met with seemed impressed, even astounded, with the research Vanessa had done. When Geoffrey Freeman, the police officer who shot Joseph, arrived on the scene, the teen ran toward him and Freeman said he shot Joseph because he feared for his life. Fally Joseph said he has started talking to people in the community about how to avoid future incidents like his brothers. So its my responsibility that we hold him accountable. An officer like that is not supposed to ever carry a gun anymore, Sully said. Ralph Barrera / American-Statesman. (Facebook) It's unclear if Freeman, a 10-year veteran of. But those things dont seem to be enough. In early December, Vanessa finished classes for the semester at Austin Community College, where she is studying for a degree in social work. Im here because this is the community where my child goes to school and where my child plays outside. Police often kill African-American kids and while its unfortunate, its ingrained in you for some reason, which is even worse that its just another day, she said. Ill never forget my brother. The death of Joseph this week also adds another grim statistic related to the number of unarmed suspects shot by police. I urge people to not demonize a person, Officer Freeman is a person that but for this horrible set of circumstances served honourably, but based on these set of circumstances we do not believe he should remain on the department, Acevedo said. In June 2004, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lodged a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice for the perceived level of disproportionate officer shootings. Josephs autopsy report concluded he had Xanax and marijuana in his system at the time of his death, but he tested negative for other drugs such as PCP. Assistant Police Chief Brian Manley told reporters the audio recorded the moment when Freeman began issuing commands to Joseph to when he allegedly charged at the officer. The Nobles case was defended by city staff attorneys, who did not need to pay for outside counsel for the officers involved; that's not so in at least some of the BLM cases working their way through the courts. Those expressions ran the gamut from Moores call for criminal prosecution to others content to voice their solidarity in support of fellow justice seekers. ( KCTV /Gray News) - The Kansas City Police Department . APD has de-escalation rules. Our spray foam insulation team in Austin is ready to help now! Submit yours now at austinchronicle.com/opinion. She said her office has put aside other projects to focus on this case for the coming weeks. They had been given to his mother as a gift, but she couldnt bear to have them in the house. Last July, an Austin police officer killed a 62-year-old man during a foot chase in southwest Austin after reports the suspect had been following a woman on the street. A police department spokesman said that Freeman shot Joseph within seconds of encountering him at about 10.30am. Police say theteenager was nude and acting aggressively when he charged toward Freeman. They said the 17-year-old was likely experiencing some sort of mental break. Travis County pushes TxDOT to modify I-35 plan to reduce land seizures, add more crossings, City of Austin Settles Case Over Firing of Officer Who Killed David Joseph, 'A Cop Shot My Son': An Austin Mother Reflects on Shared Loss, Austin City Council Unanimously Rejects Police Contract, Austin Says New Contract With Police Will Bring Accountability, Police Body Cam Footage Remains Touchy Subject as Court Case Awaits. The victim was identified as 33-year-old Joseph Santos Garcia of Bacliff, Nolen said. According to the police radio dispatch, Joseph was shot twice in the chest. **************************************************************************************************. Ketty Sully said she learned the U.S. was a land of justice while taking a history class to earn her citizenship. It looked as if she was either moving in or moving out. She struggled to adjust because she didnt speak English, but eventually she began to think of Austin as her hometown. She participates in the walk-through with the officer involved, in this case Officer Freeman, and will be hands-on in the internal affairs investigation. I dont know if its just a type of complacency, she said. Vanessa was told to talk to the president of the homeowners association. Since the fatal shooting, many have questioned the officers actions: His use of lethal measures rather than the standard-issue Taser he had on his possession; why the teens nakedness while outdoors wasnt seen as denoting a mental health breakdown rather than criminality; the reason a gun was fired within mere seconds of the officer making the scene. Picture Booking # First Name Last Name Date of Birth Crime Type Booking Date {{item.bookingNumber}} The audio has not been made public. Other big profile investigations, like when Larry Jackson Jr. was shot and killed by former Austin Police Detective Charles Kleinert, were completed in less than 45 days according to Frasier. Because of the short timeline, Fraiser said she expects interviews with witnesses and Officer Freeman to possibly start next week. This is the pattern that led to the U.S. Department of Justice investigation a few years back, and it appears that the pattern of police shootings continues. All Rights ReservedSend us feedback, Grand jurors to weigh police shooting death of David Joseph in May, Austin police officer fired over David Joseph shooting files appeal, Austin police fire officer who fatally shot naked teen David Joseph, Autopsy released in David Joseph shooting finds drugs but no PCP, Autopsy on teen killed by Austin police officer sealed. The SIU is a department within APD and investigates officers involved in incidents and includes the criminal investigation. A probable cause statement obtained by KMOV shows Thomas faces charges for first-degree murder and armed criminal action. The black teen was naked and unarmed, but police had been called to the scene for reports of a suspicious person who was walking on private property and, according to witnesses, harassing residents with his erratic behavior. She got a name and left. 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