If police killings of the mentally ill are a systemic issue, then so is SAPD’s record of excessive violence. In 2018, an SAPD officer shot and killed Charles Roundtree Jr., an unarmed Black teenager. In 2016, Antronie Scott was shot and killed by an SAPD officer because the officer claimed he believed Scott was holding a gun; he wasn’t. Marquise Jones was shot in the back by an SAPD officer in 2014 as he was running away from a minor traffic accident. In 2020, Damian Daniels – who was experiencing an episode of PTSD – was shot and killed outside his own home by Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (the county where San Antonio is located) by deputies sent for a mental health check.

That three different officers on scene opened fire speaks to the lie of the “bad apple” narrative. As Perez’s family’s attorney explained, “We are not talking about a rogue officer who just lost his mind or got mad. We’re talking about three officers who thought it was OK to gun this woman down in her own house.” (kens5.com)

The sad factor of the matter is that in the US, unless you are in a gang, the person most likely to shoot you is probably a cop.