In San Marcos, Texas, the past weeks have seen the town gripped by the tragedy of Malachi Williams, the 22-year-old shot dead by local police on April 11. At a recent vigil for the deceased, family and community members united in grief and called for transparency and answers from the San Marcos Police Department (SMPD). Williams, known to be struggling with mental health and homelessness, was killed following a 911 call reporting a man brandishing a knife, according to KVUE.

As reported by KVUE, after two men called 911 claiming to be followed by an individual with a knife from a convenience store into a neighborhood, police identified Williams as the suspect. Chief Stan Standridge of SMPD has stated a Grand Jury must clear the involved officer before body camera footage is disclosed – a decision that has done little to quell the frustrations of a community mourning one of its own. Williams was allegedly running with the knife towards a business when the SMPD officers took the fatal action.

At the vigil, the pain and disappointment felt by Williams' family were palpable. "I’m hurt, I’m angry, I’m sad, but at this moment, I am most disappointed," Williams' uncle expressed in an interview with FOX 7 Austin. The family's quest for full disclosure has centered on obtaining the body camera footage from the officer involved in the shooting, with Williams' grandfather, Pastor Wayne Miller, questioning the department's apparent hesitation: "Are you afraid that I might see, or someone might see that you made a mistake?"

The officer who shot Williams is currently on administrative leave, amid three ongoing investigations into the incident. SMPD has conveyed its condolences and assured its commitment to a thorough investigation and support for the community. They stated, "Our hearts go out to the family and friends affected, this was truly an outcome that no one wants, including the San Marcos Police Department," in a statement obtained by KVUE