The Austin Police Department is under scrutiny after a report revealed that police officials were aware of issues with "less-lethal" ammunition that may have contributed to protester injuries during May 2020 social justice protests, according to the Travis County District Attorney's Office. In a move that escalates the demands for accountability, the D.A. has called for the Department of Justice to investigate the APD's handling of the protests.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza, backed by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, renewed their request to the DOJ after an internal APD report surfaced, revealing that police leadership had prior knowledge that the bean bag rounds used on protesters could cause serious harm. This report, first obtained by the KVUE Defenders, includes details of the munitions malfunctioning and the injuries that ensued.
Garza has cited the new information in his renewed call to the DOJ, arguing that the department knew, "prior to May 2020, that the weapons used by APD officers during the May 2020 protests could cause and had previously caused serious injury," he said in a statement. Over a dozen individuals were wounded by these rounds, and the City of Austin has since paid approximately $20 million in settlements regarding the incident. Initially, prosecutors charged 21 police officers, but have since dropped all but four cases, according to the KVUE Defenders report.
Further intensifying the urgency of their request, the Travis County District Attorney's Office supplied the DOJ with additional letters supporting the federal investigation from Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Gregorio Casar; nonetheless, federal officials have not indicated whether they will take up the investigation. The special APD report, which delved into the incident and its background, has still not been made public, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman.
The DOJ's response to the investigation request remains pending with no given timeline for a decision. Meanwhile, the Austin community, and affected protestors await clarity and the prospect of justice in a case that highlights the tensions within the city's law enforcement practices amidst the broader national conversation of police reform and accountability.
