REGULAR MEETING OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026, 6:00 P.M. AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS & COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101 301 W. 2ND ST AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Human Rights Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Ryan Sperling at ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov or 512-974-3568 CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Kolby Duhon, Chair (He/They) Muneeb “Meebs” Aslam (He/Him) Jeffrey Clemmons George Jambor Harriet Kirsh-Pozen Tannya Oliva Martínez Morgan Davis, Vice Chair (He/Him) Mindy Morgan Avitia Lila Igram Mariana Krueger (She/Her) Maryam Khawar AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Human Rights Commission regular meeting on July 22, 2026. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation by the SAFE Alliance programs. Presentation by Dr. Pierre Berastain, CEO, SAFE Austin. regarding their closing and at-risk DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discussion of the killing of Anthoneil Williams II, and possible action to approve a recommendation acknowledging the shooting and encouraging further action. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Ryan Sperling at Austin City Clerk’s Office, at 512-974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov, to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Human Rights Commission, please contact Ryan Sperling at 512-974- 3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov.
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, JULY 27, 2026 The Human Rights Commission convened in a regular meeting on July 27, 2026, at 301 W. 2nd St., Boards & Commissions Room, in Austin, Texas. Chair Duhon called the Human Rights Commission meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Kolby Duhon (Chair) Morgan Davis (Vice Chair) Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Harriet Kirsh Pozen Tannya Oliva Martinez George Jambor Meebs Aslam Mindy Morgan Avitia Jeffrey Clemmons Mariana Krueger PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Human Rights Commission regular meeting on June 22, 2026. The minutes of the June 22, 2026 meeting were approved without objection on Chair Duhon’s motion on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Krueger was off the dais. Commissioners Igram and Khawar were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 1 2. Staff briefing regarding the Human Rights Impact Review. Briefing by Dr. Lindsey Wilson, Director, and Shafina Khaki, Human Rights Officer, Austin Equity & Inclusion. The presentation was made by Dr. Lindsey Wilson, Director, and Shafina Khaki, Human Rights Officer, Austin Equity & Inclusion. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. Presentation by the SAFE Alliance regarding their closing and at-risk programs. Presentation by Dani Fletcher, Director of Communications and Marketing, SAFE Austin. Withdrawn without objection. Discussion regarding the final submission of the 2025 Annual Report. Discussion was held. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Approve a recommendation regarding the Continuation and Expansion of Funding for Communities In School of Central Texas to Protect Equal Opportunity, Student Stability, and Access to Essential Support. The recommendation for Continuation and Expansion of Funding for Communities in Schools of Central Texas to Protect Equal Opportunity, Student Stability, and Access to Essential Support was approved on Commissioner Davis’ motion, Commissioner Clemmons’ second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Igram and Khawar were absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Update from the Anti-Hate Working Group regarding July meeting insights. Update by Chair Duhon FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS SAFE Alliance Presentation – Duhon, Davis Discussion and possible action of recent actions of Austin police department and how the commission can respond– Clemmons , Duhon Officer Involved Shooting Dashboard presentation– Oliva Martinez , Duhon The meeting was adjourned at 6:34 P.M. without objection,. 2
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Recommendation 20260824-003: Recognition of Recent APD Shooting & Supporting Measures to Provide Public Accountability WHEREAS, on July 24, 2026, 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams II was fatally shot by Austin Police Department (APD) officers at a neighborhood park near Baden Lane and Dessau Road; and WHEREAS, subsequent official reviews and Austin Police Department disclosures revealed that Anthoneil Williams II was unarmed and the object in his waistband was a water bottle at the time officers discharged their weapons; and WHEREAS, while the shooting remained under active investigation, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis publicly stated that “all points” indicated the incident was a “suicide by police,” assigning a possible motive to Anthoneil Williams II before the completion of independent and thorough investigations; and WHEREAS, the National Police Accountability Project (NPAP), a national organization dedicated to police accountability and civil rights, specifically criticized APD's rapid characterization of Anthoneil Williams II's death as “suicide by cop,” raising concerns that assigning such a label before a meaningful investigation shifts attention away from questions of de-escalation, use of force, and governmental accountability; and WHEREAS, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), a national organization of police executives and law-enforcement professionals, recognizes that encounters involving individuals believed to be seeking a lethal police response should prompt specialized crisis intervention emphasizing time, distance, communication, patience, and de-escalation, and has documented that many such encounters can be resolved without the use of lethal force; and WHEREAS, terminology such as “suicide by cop” or “suicide by police,” particularly when used before an investigation has established a person's intent, risks shifting responsibility for a police- involved death onto the deceased, making that individual the perceived causal actor in their own death while prematurely shaping public understanding of the government's use of deadly force; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin should use neutral, fact-based language when communicating about police-involved deaths and should distinguish between evidence concerning a person's possible mental or behavioral health crisis and the separate question of whether officers' actions, tactics, de-escalation efforts, and use of force were appropriate; and WHEREAS, repeated patterns of officer misconduct, insufficient de-escalation, and unjustified use of force have historically inflicted severe trauma and deadly harm across Austin communities; and WHEREAS, civilian oversight bodies, including the Community Police Review Commission, require unfettered access to all body-worn camera footage, dispatch recordings, internal affairs files, and investigative materials to ensure true transparency, accountability, …
