Cops off the hook again.

Texas police release bodycam footage of an officer shooting and killing 22-year-old Malachi Williams

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• Original article: Texas police release bodycam footage of an officer shooting and killing 22-year-old Malachi Williams.
• Family vigil: Family of Man Killed by San Marcos Police Hold Vigil at City Hall Demanding Answers, Release of Body Cam Footage.

The Texas Tribune | August 11, 2023

Four months after 22-year-old Malachi Williams was shot and killed by San Marcos police officer Alcides “Alex” Ventura, body-worn camera footage of the incident has been released.

“I don’t believe [Police Chief Stan Standridge is] giving you the full story on what happened in that parking lot...I do believe that had he shown the rest of what happened in that parking lot, I believe you would have seen police abuse of a person they had shot." – Wayne Miller, Malachi Williams' grandfather

The footage shows Ventura pursuing Williams, who was allegedly carrying two large knives, outside a convenience store. Ventura attempted to use his Taser twice before firing his gun three times at Williams from across an H-E-B gas station lot. Two of the three shots hit Williams in the back, and he can be seen dropping the knives and writhing on the ground as Ventura called for EMS.

Ventura joined the San Marcos Police Department in 2022 and previously worked as an officer in Maryland since 2019, serving in the Marine Corps for four years prior. He has been cleared of any wrongdoing by a grand jury, which determined his actions were justified under Texas law.

Williams' family, who held a candlelight vigil in April demanding the release of the bodycam footage, believes there is more to the story. They also question why Williams, who was homeless and struggled with mental health issues, was not offered assistance when police cleared his camp a week before his death. The family seeks justice and wants to clear Williams' name.