San Marcos residents demand transparency after police shooting of Malachi Williams

Dozens of residents urged the San Marcos City Council on Feb. 18 to press for transparency and accountability after the April 2024 fatal shooting of 22‑year‑old Malachi Williams.

At the meeting’s start, Ashley Prevost, a San Marcos resident, said the police department’s narrative conflicted with bystander video and accused officials of manipulating evidence. “What happened here wasn’t just a failure of policy, it was a failure of humanity,” Prevost said. Multiple speakers later described bystander footage that they say shows officers failing to provide medical aid while Williams bled and was handcuffed.

The city’s public commenters named Officer Alex Ventura as the officer who fired the shots, said the department’s body camera footage cuts out at the moment shots were fired, and reported that medics were ultimately forced to ask officers to remove handcuffs so life‑saving treatment could proceed. Jack Thornton, a volunteer and community organizer, said the bystander video undercuts a departmental press briefing and asked, “Why no better attempt to restrain him?…Why the partial footage?” Multiple speakers asked who served on the grand jury that declined to indict and requested independent review of the San Marcos Police Department’s actions and communications with outside organizations.

Several commenters raised concerns about the involvement of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT). Sloan Rucker, a local resident, noted CLEAT’s past lobbying against expanded disclosure of police misconduct records and told the council it “raises a ton of red flags” about transparency. Speakers also questioned why Williams was reportedly transported to a medical facility in Kyle rather than closer options in San Marcos.

Family members and friends addressed the council directly. An online commenter who identified herself as Shanta Miller said, “Malachi is my son. I love my son so very, very much,” and asked the council to acknowledge what she described as an unjust killing. Sam Benavides, speaking for community members who have supported the family, described witness footage showing officers searching Williams’ pockets while he bled and said medics had to request that handcuffs be loosened to permit treatment.

Council members did not take action during the citizen‑comment period. The comments were placed on the public record and will remain part of the meeting minutes. Residents repeatedly asked the council to pursue independent review of the shooting, to disclose CLEAT’s role at the scene, and to provide information about the grand jury process in this case. The council did not announce any new investigative steps during the Feb. 18 regular meeting.

The meeting record shows a sustained and repeated demand from the community for additional fact‑gathering and transparency; the council may address those requests in future agenda items or during staff follow‑up.

Ending: Councilmembers proceeded to the scheduled consent agenda and subsequent business; no formal action on the shooting was taken at the Feb. 18 meeting.