Activists in Austin are calling for improved responses to mental health emergencies following the tragic shooting of 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams II. As the City Council met on Thursday to discuss the upcoming budget, demonstrators assembled outside City Hall to advocate for enhanced funding for mental health services.
Williams was shot and killed by Austin Police at a local park after he reportedly called 911 to report a man with a gun. Officers responded with gunfire after Williams lifted his shirt and reached toward his waistband, despite being unarmed at the time.
The involved officers have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis has suggested that the shooting could be viewed as a “suicide by police,” a characterization that has been met with skepticism from community leaders.
Chas Moore, founder of the Austin Justice Coalition, strongly disagrees with this assessment. He emphasized the need for alternative responses to 911 calls from individuals experiencing mental health crises. “We need better options,” Moore stated. “Anthoneil should have had a different choice available to him. Instead, he was met with the Austin Police Department, where the response was far from compassionate.”
The proposed city budget for the next fiscal year includes approximately $5.1 million in cuts to social service contracts, including vital mental health programs, while simultaneously increasing the police budget by nearly $25 million. Moore criticized this allocation, arguing that investing heavily in a police force that has repeatedly failed to provide adequate care to the community is illogical.
Annette Price, executive director of Grassroots Leadership, echoed these sentiments, noting that every dollar spent on policing detracts from funding that could prevent crises. “We could have crisis counselors responding in minutes, mental health professionals available around the clock, and trained peer support specialists to deescalate situations. Instead, we have officers prepared to use lethal force against our youth,” Price remarked.
Under Texas law, cities face penalties for reducing police funding. Activist Scott Delgado from the Party for Socialism and Liberation clarified that the goal is not to cut the police budget but to maintain it at its current level in order to direct more funds toward underfunded social services, particularly mental health care, which has struggled to keep pace with Austin’s growing population.
During the City Council meeting on Thursday, as members listened to public testimony regarding the budget, demonstrators entered the chambers demanding accountability for Williams’ death. The session was briefly halted to allow for order to be restored.
Later that evening, around 70 protesters and advocates gathered outside City Hall, reiterating demands for justice for Williams and calling for reductions to the proposed increase in the police budget in favor of social services.
Shelby Evans, an organizer with Hands Off Central Texas, urged residents to engage with their elected officials, especially as budget discussions continue. She recalled the impactful protests of 2020, asserting that sustained action is essential for meaningful change. “We must keep the pressure on, as change only lasts as long as our attention spans allow,” Evans stated.
The rally followed the release of additional footage from the incident, which appeared to show Williams sitting at a playscape for several minutes before police arrived at the scene. The video indicates that officers did not initially have their weapons drawn, but they quickly drew their firearms when Williams moved his hand toward his waistband. He was shot multiple times and fell to the ground, with officers firing again while he was down.
Activists are now calling on Travis County District Attorney José Garza to take action against the officers involved in the fatal shooting. In response, Garza’s office has confirmed that a thorough review will be conducted once the Austin Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit completes its investigation. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Anthoneil Williams II. We are committed to ensuring a thorough review,” the statement from Garza’s office read.
