Austin lawmakers file police reform bills named for Mike Ramos communityimpact.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from communityimpact.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
The Austin police officer who shot and killed Michael Ramos last year has been charged with first-degree murder, the Travis County District Attorney s Office announced Thursday morning. It is the first known murder indictment for an Austin police officer in a use of force incident, the office said.
A warrant had been issued Wednesday for the arrest of Christopher Taylor with a bond set for $100,000, TCSO spokesperson Kristen Dark confirmed to the Texas Tribune. Taylor turned himself into the Travis County Jail and was released on bond within about a half hour around midnight, Dark said Thursday. His indictment states he cannot hold employment with access to a firearm, and he cannot possess personal firearms. An Austin Police Department spokesperson said Thursday afternoon Taylor is on unpaid administrative leave and turned in his gun.
Texas authorities issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for an Austin police officer whose shooting of a man last year sparked protests, local news outlets reported.
Christopher Taylor is accused in the April 24 shooting death of Michael Ramos
Footage released last year shows Ramos had announced he was unarmed and had his hands above his head before he was shot dead in Austin
Taylor turned himself in after a warrant for his arrest was issued Wednesday
He was released on bond Thursday after it had been set at $100,000
Officer Mitchell Pieper had deployed a beanbag impact at Ramos, prompting him to try and drive away; Taylor then shot into Ramos vehicle three times
Share and speak up for justice, law & order.
AUSTIN, Texas The black autonomous zone Orisha Land that has been developing in Austin over the past several weeks was apparently served a notice by the city to vacate public property. The group is incensed over the notification and promised they “are not f ing going anywhere.”
The developers of the Austin’s “sovereign citizen” collective called Orisha Land reject state authority to “protect Black liberation and prosperity,” Law Officer reported on Tuesday. We reached out to city authorities for a comment, but never received a reply.
On Wednesday, a woman believed to be one of the group’s leaders, Njera Eshe Emeya Keith (according to her Instagram profile), said city authorities “tried to deliver a notice to vacate.”