Affidavit: Man yelled gay slur at woman outside Cedar Park gas station before killing her

A man arrested in the fatal shooting of a woman outside a Cedar Park gas station last week called her a gay slur before firing three shots at her, according to an arrest affidavit released Friday.

Bradley Stanford, 23, has been charged with murder in the death of 24-year-old Akira Ross. Officials say he did not know her.

Ross's death caused a member of the Cedar Park Pride group to ask the City Council on Thursday night to hold a vigil for Ross.

"We are livid to hear a beautiful young person was shot down in cold blood on June 2 simply for being gay," said Kelley Holiday, a secretary for Cedar Park Pride, which is a LGBTQ+ nonprofit. "We are also outraged that the city and the Police Department have not made it is evident that this was a hate crime."

In Texas, prosecutors can add a sentencing enhancement to crimes if they can prove that the offender acted because of the victims' race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, gender or sexual orientation.

Holiday also asked for the City Council to form a committee to look into the quality of life for LGBTQ+ residents and for the city to support the Queer EmPower festival on July 15 in Cedar Park.

More: Akira Ross' partner, father say she was killed by stranger in Cedar Park because she was gay

Council members could not respond at the meeting to Holiday's requests because they were not listed as an agenda item.

Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin said Friday that he plans to review the requests with Cedar Park Pride and then to discuss them with the city's staff to understand which are feasible. "I think we're all interested in making sure our city is safe and welcoming to all," he said.

The council on Thursday passed a resolution for the second year in a row proclaiming June 2023 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the city.

During the meeting, Police Chief Mike Harmon said officers worked 43 hours nonstop after Ross was killed and even traveled to South Texas to help arrest Stanford.

"I want to say to Akira’s family I hope this guy is brought to the most extreme justice as possible," Harmon said. "Let's stick to the facts and evidence in this case and not try this in the court of public opinion. It doesn't do the family any good."

More: Woman gets life in prison for 2019 murder of Air Force man in Cedar Park

Harmon said investigators have an "overwhelming" amount of evidence in the case, but he did not give any details.

Ross' father, Anthony Hill, and her partner have said the shooting was a hate crime.

Hill spoke to the council on Thursday, saying that Ross was a loving person who cared for everyone she met.

"It's a hurting time, and I hope we can fix this so that no one else has to go through this tragedy," he said. "I don't hate anyone of any color, creed or kind, and I teach my kids that."

The affidavit said surveillance video showed Stanford arriving at 9:42 p.m. June 2 at the Circle K gas station at 12020 RM 620 North and parking near a gas pump. Stanford entered the store and then came out of it walking toward his car where he retrieved an object that he tucked into the front waistband of his shorts, the affidavit said.

Ross arrived at 9:44 p.m., parking her car two gas islands away from Stanford's Nissan, according to the affidavit. It said that five minutes later, the surveillance video showed that Stanford walked toward Ross, who was standing outside the driver's door of her car, "and the two appear to have an exchange of words."

The affidavit said Stanford then walked toward the rear of the Nissan and that Ross fell down, according to the store's surveillance video. Stanford then drove away, the document said.

Police later interviewed a friend who was in the car with Ross and Tanya, Ross' partner. Tanya has previously requested that her last name not be printed because of fears of retaliation.

The friend told police that Ross and Tanya were having a "small verbal argument" when they arrived at the gas station, the affidavit said. It said the friend believed the argument caught the attention of Stanford. Tanya got out of the car and walked into the store, the affidavit said. Stanford then began to speak to Ross, who was still sitting in the vehicle, according to the affidavit. The friend who was in the back passenger seat could not hear what was said but told police that "Ross began to get agitated," the document said.

After Ross got out of the car and walked into the store, the friend said, Stanford began digging around in his car as if he was getting a gun, according to the affidavit. The friend sent a text message to Tanya that read, "Yo tell the cash person this man got a gun and trying to get KB (Ross)," according to the affidavit.

Ross came out of the store a few minutes later and was standing by the front of her car when Stanford walked over to her, police said. Stanford then acted like he was going to return to his car but instead walked to the back of Ross' car, the affidavit said.

It said the friend heard Stanford yell a gay slur at Ross and fire three rounds.

When police talked to Tanya, she said that she and Ross were having a small argument about a pizza order when they pulled up to the gas station, according to the affidavit. She said she walked into the store, and Ross came in it shortly after her, police said. Ross told Tanya that Stanford was waving his gun around outside, the affidavit said.

Tanya told the cashier to call the police and then walked outside and began to record on video a verbal altercation between Ross, who had left the store, and Stanford, according to the document.

"Ross can be heard in the video telling the male to leave," the affidavit said. Tanya told police that Stanford "retrieved a black handgun from his waistband," and shot Ross, according to the affidavit.

Police later that day found Stanford's car at his apartment complex about 2 miles away in the 9500 block of RM 620, the affidavit said. Stanford was arrested Sunday in Ingleside, near Corpus Christi. He was being held Friday at the Williamson County Jail with bail set at $1 million.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Cedar Park police say man yelled gay slur at Akira Ross before killing