'Stop Moving': Austin Police Kill Black Teen Who Was Holding a Water Bottle

Austin police officers fatally shot a 17-year-old Black teenager last week after mistakenly believing he was armed. The incident occurred when officers fired more than a dozen rounds at Anthoneil Williams II, who was holding a water bottle. Body camera footage released by the Austin Police Department shows officers fired after Williams reached toward his waistband, and investigators later confirmed no firearm was recovered at the scene.

Around 4:02 a.m. on July 24, officers responded to a report of a person believed to be carrying a gun at a community park on Baden Lane in northeast Austin. Video shows officers ordering Williams to keep his hands visible before gunfire erupted as he reached toward his waistband.

Officer Jake Pitcher fired an additional volley of shots about 12 seconds after the initial gunfire while Williams lay on the ground. Pitcher was heard saying, "I'm reloading," before firing again, and Williams was pronounced dead at 4:25 a.m.

Less than three months earlier, Pitcher was cleared by a grand jury in a separate 2025 police shooting involving an armed suspect. Body camera footage does not capture the moment officers realized Williams had been carrying a water bottle instead of a firearm, and Pitcher can be heard repeatedly ordering the teenager to "stop moving" as he lay wounded.

But investigators later determined the 911 call reporting an armed person originated from Williams' own phone. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said that evidence led investigators to examine whether the encounter may have been a possible "suicide by police," though both the criminal and administrative investigations remain ongoing.

Jake Pitcher, Alexis Cruz and Avery Zucchi have been placed on paid administrative leave while criminal and administrative investigations continue. Authorities also confirmed that no firearm was recovered at the scene after the shooting.

Williams' family later publicly identified the teenager and launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for funeral expenses and provide support for relatives. Friends, relatives and community members have since gathered in Austin to remember Williams and call for accountability in his killing.