The mother of a man murdered in a mass shooting in Austin, Texas, in 2021 blasted the Austin City Council, calling them cowards for having defunded the police in 2020.
The budget of the Austin police department suffered a $150 million cut that was unanimously approved by the Democrat-run council in mid-August 2020. Council member and now Democratic Congressman Greg Casar said, “This moment has been born out of a lot of hurt in the community. We know we have a long way to go.” He also tweeted, “We did it!! Austin City Council just reduced APD’s budget by over $100 million *and* reinvested resources into our community’s safety and well-being. Tens of thousands of you have called, emailed, and testified. You made the impossible into a reality. #blacklivesmatter.”
Julia Kantor, whose son Douglas, 25, was killed in June 2021, wrote an email to the council only days before her son’s alleged murderer went on trial. “Aug 28th in Austin TX there will be jury selection for the murder of my son Douglas Kantor and the attack on 14 others for the June 12th 2021 mass shooting on 6th street,” she wrote. “I hope you will follow this [trial] as your duty to your citizens. It was you, the city council and others who defunded the police and welcomed these evil people with no regard for life to run and ruin your city.”
“It’s time you see what you have done to not only the victims like my son but also to our family and friends and your city,” she continued, as reported by Fox News Digital. “Your irresponsible choices for political gain has put a target on the backs of Austin’s citizens and all who visit. … You have killed and ruined thousands of lives and couldn’t care less as long as you stay in power. Just like the killer, you are ALL COWARDS. NONE OF YOU HAD THE GUTS TO SPEAK UP AND POINT OUT HOW STUPID AND DESTRUCTIVE THAT WAS. I’M SURE IF YOUR KIDS WERE BEING KILLED YOU WOULD FIND YOUR VOICE.”
She concluded, “Remember what goes around comes around in different ways. Look at the last photo. This is the animal you released on my son and the people of Texas without a thought.”
Douglas Kantor had just bought a new home and was planning on marrying his high school sweetheart at the time of the shooting, in which 13 others were injured.
In her opening statement before the court, state attorney Jean Sullivan said, “Doug died because of these people that he had never seen or met before in his life that brought guns and used them on Sixth Street that night. He went out with them that night to celebrate. He had just graduated. He was here for a good time, a good weekend. [His friends] had no idea that night would be the last time that they would be able to celebrate with Douglas Kantor.”
“Everybody who keeps getting elected here is just further to the left every time, it’s gone from more passively anti-police to, what you’ve really seen since 2020, is just overtly anti-police,” one Austin police officer said in October 2022. “I think that has been a big tipping point for a lot of people and we’ve just had enough.”
In 2021, Austin set an all-time record for homicides in 2021. Roughly a week and a half ago, Austin Police Department Chief Joseph Chacon announced he was retiring.
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