Activists get no response from city manager on Sanders case
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
A group of community leaders asked City Manager Marc Ott to respond with answers about the Nathaniel Sanders shooting case by 5 p.m. Wednesday. However, that deadline passed without any word.
Former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana shot and killed Sanders in East Austin while on duty investigating shots fired in the area. Sanders and a second person were reportedly sleeping in a parked vehicle when officers approached them. Quintana said Sanders was reaching for a gun, before Quintana shot him three times, killing him.
A grand jury decided not to indict Quintana and the Austin Police Department determined he acted within police policy.
The incident sparked controversy regarding whether Quintana's actions were warranted, and the city commissioned an independent report, which states that Quintana's actions were "reckless."
That report, however, was full KeyPoint report sooner.
Now, a group of community activists calling themselves the "City Accountability Council" demanded answers from the city about the handling of the shooting case and review process.
The group asked for the names of the people who performed the redactions on the KeyPoint report and a formal apology from the city to the families of Sanders and the other victim Sir Lawrence Smith.
News 8 has devoted an entire section to the Sanders Case. Click the link to read more.
The community activists also asked that the city hire an outside attorney to review the legal claims of former city attorney David Smith.
Last week, Smith announced his retirement following criticism for releasing only the heavily-redacted version of the report.
Lastly, they asked that APD Chief Art Acevedo be replaced.
When the initial redacted version of the KeyPoint report was released, Acevedo said it confirmed the competency of APD's criminal investigation. He has also received more heat recently after handwritten notes on the report from a colleague of his became public.
Organizers said they are tired of hitting dead ends when it comes to getting information from the city.
The group plans to voice its concerns to Austin City Council Thursday during citizen communications of its regularly scheduled meeting.