Community asked for opinion on review

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Concerned citizens gathered in the lobby of Austin City Hall Monday to discuss allegations of a cover-up by the Austin Police Department and the city in response to an independent review of the Nathaniel Sanders II shooting.

The conversation revolved around the recent KeyPoint report and allegations of a police department attempt to cover-up the findings.

"The purpose of the report was to inform the public of what happened on that night," said Debbie Russell with the American Civil Liberties Union. "The public needed to know what happened."

The report said APD officer Leo Quintana acted “recklessly” when fatally shooting 18-year-old Nathaniel Sanders a year ago.

APD Chief Art Acevedo has said releasing the unredacted version of the independent review is not possible since a federal judge restricted the department from doing so.

"There are revelations in that report that many, many people feel should have been out there- and at the very least, City Council, as the elected representatives of the people, should have had much more ability to have access to some of these key conclusions," said Public Safety Commission member Ramey Ko.

Acevedo and internal affairs investigators, the City attorney's office, City Manager Marc Ott and the police monitor and the citizens review panel had access to the full report. Ott declined to read the full, unredacted report and instead chose to be briefed by Acevedo.

Quintana was recently fired after a DWI offense. However, the review's findings have brought criticism of the department.

Texas Civil Rights Project Director Jim Harrinton has said Acevedo is misleading the public and that the department asked for the protective order to keep the report from being released.

"We need to understand who made what mistake where," said Russell. "I've been begging them for weeks to come clean."

Austin Police Association President Wayne Vincent said the unredacted version does not contain evidence not presented to the grand jury.

"There could not be any new evidence," Vincent said. "This was not an investigation. It was review of evidence and facts that the grand jury saw."

Vincent went on to say the association still supports Acevedo's decisions.