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BASTROP — The country’s oldest civil- rights organization is looking for answers in the shooting death of a 41-year-old man and the detention of a teenager in the case.
Of f icials with the NAACP said questions are mounting over the investigation’s handling and the suspected involvement of a 13-yearold male.
Steven Smith, 41, who was Black, was shot and killed outside his home west of the city last month.
Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook confirmed that a 13-year-old boy is charged under juvenile statutes in the case, but because of the teen’s status as a minor, officials are limited in what they can say.
The teenager was reportedly released to juvenile authorities.
An NAACP leader at an Oct. 14 press conference said more information about what led to the fatal shooting must be released.
“There’s a story being told that didn’t include all the facts,” Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder said, noting that Smith was well respected in the community. “There’s a whole history here.”
The organization’s involvement comes in response to frustrations from Smith’s family and friends regarding the handling of the probe.
They raised concerns about what they say are potential conflicts leading up to the incident and questioned the presence of certain individu- als on Smith’s property at the time of the shooting.
Linder noted some of those individuals reportedly had been on Smith’s property before.
“Imagine coming home to your property and being shot and killed on that property,” Linder added.
The organization also wants clarification about law enforcement’s response time to the scene and the handling of evidence, including how long Smith’s body remained outside after the shooting.
“He was laying out here for four hours. That’s a long time. Unfortunately, with African Americans, sometimes that tends to happen,” Linder said. “We want to address that.”
NAACP representatives said they will continue to push for accountability, demanding that investigators and the District Attorney’s Office ensure every detail of the case is thoroughly examined.
During the press conference, Smith’s family expressed confusion and heartbreak over their loved one’s demise.
According to the relatives, Smith knew the teen and his mother, and that tension had been growing between the 13-year-old and Smith.
