Police footage released
Austin Police have released the footage and 911 call involving the officer involved shooting death of Alexander Gonzalez. In it, Austin police show security footage of Gonzalez driving right alongside off duty officer Gabriel Gutierrez’s personal car. Moments later flashes of gunfire appear. After that Gutierrez calls 911 and can be heard giving the wounded Gonzalez orders.
“Hands up man, EMS is coming, put your hands up, Hey, hands up man, he’s hanging out the door. He had a gun in his hand,” says Gutierrez.
The body camera footage shows Gonzalez standing next to his car and moving to the rear passenger side, reaching inside as officers told him to stop and at the end he was shot.
Austin’s Office of Police Oversight has heard community recommendations this week for changes to policies on use of force situations. They include things like eliminating an officer’s ability to shoot at a moving vehicle, more verbal warnings and more deescalation training. Police would also have to document all steps taken prior to using any force.
Constitutional carry
Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon is slated to speak on House Bill 1927 today, also known as constitutional carry. It would allow anybody 21 or older to carry a gun without a license. Chacon hasn’t indicated whether or not he’ll speak for or against the bill, but he has recently launched a program here in Austin aimed at stopping the rise of local gun violence.
Wilco jail inmate lawsuit
Williamson County has settled in a lawsuit involving a mentally ill jail inmate who died in 2018. This, according to the Statesman. Daniel McCoy is said to have not received medical help soon enough after becoming very sick while in jail. The county denies the claims but has now paid out $1.6 million dollars to the family.
Tax funded community college
The Austin Community College District has voiced support for Joe Biden’s proposal to give all Americans two years of taxpayer funded community college. ACC President Richard Rhodes says community colleges will play a big role in revitalizing the economy.
“And getting people back to work. Having that tone set from the top from the president is critical,” says Rhodes.
Rhodes also says allowing people to attend college with no money out of pocket, breaks down social barriers and provides more equity. Biden’s plan includes $109 billion dollars for community colleges.
Abbott funds recovery in schools
Governor Greg Abbott says Texas schools will be getting more than $11 billion $1.9 trillion dollars in aid that was signed into law last month. Abbott says these one time funds will support comprehensive recovery in schools over the next three years.
A new Texas House bill is looking to do away with school lunch debt. State Representative of Round Rock James Talarico says current government programs still leave some households on their own and their kids suffering.
“And when they can’t pay, they go into debt. In many cases, schools use a variety of tactics to publicly shame and humiliate students. Sometimes it’s stamping a student’s hand with the words, I need lunch money. Sometimes it’s throwing the student’s lunch away after it’s been served to them,” says Talarico.
Talarico’s bill would have the state paying off school lunch debts at the end of every school year and allow students to have a full meal whether they have the money or not.
Alcohol to go
Alcohol to go is on its way to becoming state law here in Texas.
“I’m asking the Legislature to make permanent some of the regulatory relief that I authorized,” says Governor Abbott during his state of the state address.
Alcohol to go was one of the COVID waivers he put in place. By a vote of 32 to 1 the Texas Senate passed House bill 1024 sponsored by state senator Kelly Hancock, who mentioned that the pandemic so far has taken down 15% of the state’s restaurants.
Without this provision, that number would have been greater and this provision will certainly accelerate the return to the economy that we’re accustomed to in the state,” says Hancock.
COVID-19 update
The number of reported active cases of COVID in Austin in Travis County is now under 900 that has not been seen in quite some time. The number is at 889 this morning. Hospitalizations have not moved much in either direction in recent weeks. 137 people are still being treated. Overall 82,152 cases confirmed, with 80,416 recoveries.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-4-29-21
