The mother of a man killed in crossfire on the streets of Texas has sent a scathing letter to council members blaming them in part for her son’s death after they defunded the police.
Just days before her son’s alleged killer, De’Ondre White, went on trial for murder, Julia Kantor wrote an email to Austin City Council members calling them cowards.
Her son Douglas, a 25-year-old Ford IT worker, died in excruciating pain after he was one of 14 people randomly shot while enjoying themselves on busy 6th Street in Austin in June 2021.
Julia blamed the council – which voted to defund the police in 2020 – for its role in the lawlessness that took to the streets the night her son was fatally injured.
In her blistering letter, which coincided with the resignation of Austin’s police chief, she told council members that they had “killed and ruined thousands of lives” and they “couldn’t care less as long as they remained in power.”
Julia Kantor with her son Douglas, who was shot on the streets of Austin in June 2021
Douglas John Kantor, 25, died from his injuries following a mass shooting on a crowded downtown Austin street in June 2021
The grieving mother said in the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital: “Jury selection will take place on August 28th in Austin, TX for the murder of my son Douglas Kantor and the attack on 14 others for the mass shooting on August 12th.” June 2021 on 6th Street.”
“I hope you will follow this.” [trial] as your duty to your citizens. It was you, the city council and others who defunded the police and welcomed these evil people with no regard for the lives that rule and ruin your city.
“It is time for you to see what you have done not only to victims like my son, but also to our family, our friends and your city.”
“Their irresponsible political decisions have put a target on the backs of the citizens of Austin and all visitors.”
Julia continued: “You have killed and ruined thousands of lives and you don’t care at all as long as you stay in power.” Just like the murderer, you are ALL COWARDS.
“None of you had the courage to speak out and point out how stupid and destructive this was.” I’m sure you would find your voice if your children were killed.
She concluded: “Remember, what goes around comes in different ways.” Look at the last photo. “This is the animal you unleashed on my son and the people of Texas without thinking.”
De’Ondre White, the suspected shooter, is currently on trial for murder
Doug Kantor pictured with his high school girlfriend of 10 years, Adrianna Esposito
Douglas pictured with his family. De’Ondre White’s murder trial is expected to last two weeks. He is accused of killing Douglas Kantor and injuring 14 others
De’Ondre White’s murder trial is expected to last two weeks. He is accused of killing Douglas Kantor and injuring 14 others.
In his opening statement, prosecutor Jean Sullivan told the court: “Doug died because of these people he had never seen or met in his life who brought guns with them and used them on Sixth Street that night.”
“He went out with them that night to celebrate.” He had just graduated. He was here to have a nice time, a nice weekend.
‘[His friends] “I had no idea that night would be the last time they would be able to celebrate with Douglas Kantor.”
According to Douglas’ brother Nicklaus Kantor, his mother received no response to the hate letter.
He told Fox News Digital: “I don’t think any of us imagine that one of these council members will say, ‘Oh, we’re so sorry, we did that on purpose’.”
“You know, they won’t admit and take responsibility. But at least acknowledge the loss, at least.’
Kantor was originally from Airmont, New York and lived in Michigan.
He received his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan and was working at Ford Motor Company at the time of his death.
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon said he was retiring “with a heavy heart,” saying it was “the right time” to step down
The powerful letter from Douglas’ mother comes just days after Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon abruptly announced his decision to leave the force after facing severe staffing and funding shortages since the “Defund the Police” movement suffered.
Chacon said he would retire “with a heavy heart” and said it was “the right moment” to step down.
He added that it was an “absolute honor” to become police chief and urged officers to “keep their heads up” and “keep fighting the good fight.”
His announcement comes amid ongoing complaints from the department’s union about “squalid conditions” faced by officers.
They say the “Defund the Police” movement has cut funding to departments and gutted the workforce.
The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the resulting unrest during the Black Lives Matter movement led to widespread demonization of police forces across the United States.
The Austin Police Department’s budget was slashed by a $150 million cut approved by the Democratic-led Texas City Council following its own scandal following the shooting of an unarmed Black man in April 2020 – just weeks before Floyd’s death.
The Austin City Council approved a $443.1 million budget for APD for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, increasing it from $309.7 million in 2020 after it was cut.
Woke city leaders have proposed a $476.5 million budget for 2023-2024, but adjusted for inflation, that’s about $50 million less than was allocated in 2019-2020.
Since 2017, more than 800 officers have left the APD. Villareal attributed much of those figures to defunding and contractual ambiguity.
As of March this year, Austin was ranked as the 15th-biggest homicide problem city in the United States, according to a WalletHub study.
And Austin was ranked as the third-biggest city for most homicides between 2021 and 2023.
The Texas city trailed just behind Philadelphia and Minneapolis for the biggest spike in homicides in the past two years.