In case you don't live here or you don't watch the news, a terrible thing happened in Austin last weekend. An APD officer shot a man twice in the back. I happen to work with the victim's mother and have known her for over three years. My heart aches so much for her and her family and I feel so helpless. I don't have children of my own but I know that no one thinks they will outlive their own. Please keep their family in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Thankfully, the justice department was already going to investigate APD for their history of using excessive force. I hope that this will stop things like giving cops promotions when they have a history of this kind of being violent.
Edit: Here is another good article from the Austin Chronicle. Also, the acting police chief Cathy Ellison states, "'One of the things in our policy is we don't shoot at fleeing suspects,' Ellison said. 'We don't shoot at cars, fleeing cars. You have to know that you're in danger for your life or someone else's. If it looks that someone is running away from you, then that person may not be a danger. So if it looks [like] he shot him in the back, and he's running away, then of course it looks inconsistent with policy'"
Good to know.
