Black Lives Matter protest at City Hall

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Mayor Steve Adler wants answers into the APD shooting death of teen David Joseph within 30 days and the chief has agreed.

Adler announced that plan among others during a black lives matter protest at city hall.

"No justice! No peace!"

Dozens of Black Lives Matter supporters gathered in front and inside of City Hall Thursday in protest of the death of 17-year-old David Joseph.

"I would ask everyone here today who is culpable? Is it the officer? Is it the leadership? Is it both," shouted one protestor.

"We are just sick and tired of these police shootings with our young youth and the end results with the young youth being death," said Juanita Spears, an activist.

Joseph was fatally shot on Monday. 

Police say they received multiple calls of a teen acting suspiciously and aggressively. When officer Geoffrey Freeman arrived, police say Joseph was naked and charged at Freeman despite his commands. Freeman then fired at Joseph.

"He's not going to be able to graduate. He's not going to have any children. He's not going be able to live that American dream and we just feel violated," said Spears.

Black Lives Matter says this is a pattern that started well before Joseph.

The group presented Mayor Steve Adler with a list of demands.

Adler met the group outside to receive it.

"The loss of any young person's life is disheartening and tragic," said Adler. "Regardless of the circumstances. And nothing we learn here out it's going to change that."

After expressing his sympathies to Joseph's family, Adler got down to business.

He explained that instead of the 45 day standard to complete the internal investigation, he has requested and Chief Art Acevedo has agreed to finish it within 30 days. He also wants members of the community be allowed to participate to further encourage transparency.

"If we do not have confidence in that short investigation.. Then we need to be ready to ask for other entities are parties to do an independent investigation to come in," said Adler.

By that he means the Department of Justice.

He also called for a review and audit of APD's mental health response.

While most demands seem to be met, the Mayor will not agree to pre-judge the officer's actions. The group wants Freeman charged with murder.

"This guy has served his country. He's an american patriot," said Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday of Freeman. "He served his country and a foreign war. And people are wanting to already lynch him and fire him and put him in prison. They don't even know what happened. I think it's disgusting."

Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday says the public needs to wait until they know exactly what happened. And he also urged them to look at all aspects.

"Look at the officers. Why did the officers do what they did? Then why are these kids in the situations? Why is it an epidemic in Chicago and in Washington DC, black on black violence up there? And why are the prisons full with young black youth? Look at that, you know. The police did not create that problem," said Casaday.