Mother Of Austin Man Fatally Shot By Police Seeks Justice

AUSTIN, TX — The mother of an unarmed man fatally shot by police last month in South Austin called for the firing of the officer who fired the shot that killed her son.

Michael Ramos, 42, was shot last month outside a South Austin apartment complex after a caller told police he was brandishing a firearm. As protests condemning police abuse entered their third day in Austin, his mother, Brenda Ramos, called for the prosecution of the officer who fatally shot her son.

During a confrontation with police on April 24, Ramos put his hands up to reveal his empty waistband to show he was unarmed. Despite being unarmed, Ramos was first hit with a beanbag projectile before Officer Christopher Taylor fired at him as he drove away, killing him.

The incident was the second time in nine months that Taylor has used deadly force against a suspect. The Austin Police Department identified Taylor as one of three officers who fired on a man holding a knife during a confrontation at a luxury residential building in downtown Austin.

Police Chief Brian Manley later acknowledged the knife-clutching man had been in the throes of a mental crisis when he was fatally shot. He later was identified as 46-year-old Mauris Nishanga DeSilva. Both Taylor and his counterpart, Karl Krycia fired their service weapons at DeSilva while a third officer, Joseph Cast, deployed his Taser.

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• Texas Gov Declares State 'Disaster Area' Over Protests
• Man Fatally Shot By Cops At Downtown Austin Condos Identified
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• No Gun Found On Suspect Killed By Austin Police

In the Ramos case, Austin Police Department Brian Manley announced 18 days later that no gun was found in Ramos' car or in the vicinity of the fatal incident. Protesters now decrying police abuse were galvanized as much for Ramos' death as for the more recent fatality of George Floyd in Minneapolis, who died after an officer knelt on him for nearly eight minutes before he died.

As Austin demonstrators took to their third day of protesting the two men's deaths on Sunday, the local man's mother, Brenda Ramos, issued a statement calling for prosecution of the officer who fatlly shot her son.

Following is the grieving mother's full statement:

“My only child, my son Mike, my baby, was shot and killed by Austin Police Department Officer Christopher Taylor one month ago. I cry every day.

"Now I'm in this terrible, heartbreaking club. It's a club of the mothers of black Americans who have been murdered by police.

"I ask Chief Manley publicly today in front of you all as my witnesses: Chief Manley, why did you put Officer Taylor back on the street after he KILLED a man having a mental health crisis last summer?

"Chief Manley, why was Officer Taylor even on the street and allowed to gun down my unarmed son on April 24th?

"Chief Manley, I am asking you today, why did Officer Taylor have a badge and that immoral, corrupt law enforcement license to kill my son on April 24th when he is under criminal investigation for killing Mauris DeSilva last July?

"I need you all to be witness to my anger and confusion and tears because I am not getting any answers from Chief Manley.

"Why hasn't Officer Taylor been arrested? Why hasn't Officer Taylor been fired? Why hasn't Officer Taylor at least been suspended?

"Why is Officer Taylor still drawing a paycheck from us, the citizens of Austin. Why are we paying his salary when he murdered my son over a month ago and he murdered someone else's son ten months ago? Why isn’t he in jail?

"I call for Officer Taylor to be suspended. I call for him to be fired. I call for Officer Taylor to be prosecuted for killing two people. I call for the police to stop killing!

"I need your voices. Some days I do not feel strong enough to carry on. I need your help. We must get justice for Mike.

"There should be a new law when this happens. They should be suspended and prosecuted and put away for murder. For justice and for All. Black Lives Matter.”