HAYS COUNTY, Texas — For the second day in a row this week, the family of Joshua Wright and their supporters called for video of Wright's death to be released.
Wright was an inmate held on pre-trial detention for alleged unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Last month, Wright was receiving medical treatment at Seton Hospital in Kyle when he reportedly assaulted a Hays County corrections officer and tried to leave the emergency room.
Officials said the officer shot at Wright and struck him. Medical staff immediately began life-saving measures, but Wright was pronounced dead on the scene. Wright's family said an independent autopsy showed Wright was shot from behind.
On Monday, Wright's family, along with nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, held a press conference to call on law enforcement to release video showing what led up to Wright's death. On Tuesday, the family and their supporters spoke at a Hays County Commissioners Court meeting.
"I am here today to ask for the video cam, camera, the body cam of that officer that took my son's life," Beverly Wright, Wright's mother, said.
"I am horrified to think that, at this day and age, my kids being grown, that I have to tell them and talk to them about how they need to act so they can come home alive," Latreese Cook, a supporter of the Wright family, said at the meeting.
After hearing their comments, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra told the Wright family and their supporters that he is with them.
"As the father of two minority men as well, I will tell you: I read that same speech so they would go. That's why this is no problem to me to sit here on the right side of it all. I see you, I hear you and I am with you," Becerra said.
Despite Becerra's comments, the commissioners court did not take any new action on the release of any video related to Wright's death.
Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler told KVUE the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident to determine whether criminal charges should be filed, which is standard for when a law enforcement officer uses deadly force. He also said the agency's office of professional responsibility is investigating to learn whether the officer violated any departmental policies.
Cutler said he plans to meet with the Rangers soon to determine what, if any, information, including videos, will be released or whether doing so would interfere with the investigations.
On Jan. 6, Hays County provided the following statement regarding the video's release:
"The Texas Rangers are conducting the investigation of the in-custody death of Joshua Wright, which occurred at Ascension Seton Hospital in Kyle, Texas on December 12, 2022. The Texas Rangers have requested that the bodycam video of the officer involved in the shooting along with all other information related to investigation of the events surrounding the shooting not be released until their investigation is complete. The immediate release of the bodycam video and other information may adversely affect the Rangers’ ability to conduct an investigation by, among other things, impacting the recollections and statements of witnesses.
"Additionally, Ascension Seton Hospital has raised concerns over the inadvertent disclosure of privileged third-party medical information via video footage. For that reason, at the appropriate time for release of the bodycam footage, it will need to be reviewed and potentially redacted for those purposes.
"Members of the Hays County Commissioners Court have been monitoring the situation and understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of the investigation, but they also recognize the grief felt by Mr. Wright’s family and the need for closure in the community. With that in mind, Court members will be requesting that the State dedicate as many resources to the investigation as possible, to help bring the Rangers’ investigation to an efficient conclusion, after which the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office will determine the timing for public disclosure of the bodycam video or any other materials associated with the investigation.
"The officer involved was placed on administrative leave following Mr. Wright’s death. The Hays County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that, although the officer recently returned to work pending the outcome of the investigation, he will not be assigned to any position involving the direct supervision of jail inmates until the investigation is brought to some conclusion."