Trial begins in 2021 deadly Sixth Street shooting case; suspect pleads not guilty

Family members and friends of Douglas Kantor, who was killed in a mass shooting on Sixth Street two years ago, burst into tears and averted their eyes as evidence was presented during the first day of the accused shooter's trial Tuesday.

Travis County prosecutors said they had evidence to show that De'ondre White, 22, of Killeen, was the sole shooter and that he fired eight times at a group of people with whom he and his friends had an ongoing dispute. The shooting left 13 people injured and Douglas Kantor, a 25-year-old tourist from New York, dead.

"Doug died because of these people that he'd never seen or met in his life that brought guns to Sixth Street,” said Jean Sullivan, Travis County assistant district attorney.

White pleaded not guilty to charges for murder, a first-degree felony, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony.

White's defense attorneys, Russell Hunt and William Browning, argued that he was retaliating against another group of people that pulled a weapon first.

The shooting took place about 1:25 a.m. June 12, 2021. Although Sixth Street is known to draw large crowds on weekend nights, June 12 was particularly busy due to the Republic of Texas motorcycle rally. One police officer estimated the number of people on Sixth Street likely jumped by about 10,000, with people walking nearly "shoulder to shoulder."

Previously: Suspect in deadly Sixth Street shooting arrested, police say

In opening statements, Sullivan said that video evidence and witness testimony would show there was no provocation and that White pulled a handgun and began firing.

Sullivan said White was underage at the time, as were the friends he was with who called themselves the "543," a shortened form of their ZIP code in Killeen. White's group of friends saw a rival group from Killeen on Sixth Street, which led to the shooting, Sullivan said.

White "was aware of and knew what he was doing that night," Sullivan told jurors as she laid out the prosecution's case. "And he chose to shoot into the crowd, and, as a result, an innocent bystander died."

Prosecutors said cellphone evidence shows White and the "543" group talked about how to cover up the crime. Sullivan said White shaved his dreadlocks after the shooting, suggesting he was attempting to hide his identity. She said other evidence would show that White, who had multiple guns throughout his house in Killeen, hid the gun used in the shooting under a mattress.

Witnesses describe mass shooting on Sixth Street

Prosecutors first called to the witness stand Tommy Lester, an Austin police officer who was working on Sixth Street that night.

Lester said he first noticed a group of young-looking people wearing hoodies despite the June heat, and he knew that hoodies are often used to conceal weapons, drugs or alcohol. He noted that this group was laughing and talking at the time.

Later in the night, moments before the shooting, Lester saw them again, but this time they had their hoods pulled up and they were looking around as if they were looking for someone.

Lester's body camera footage, which was presented as evidence, shows two people split up from each other, which is something he said groups getting into a fight might do to close in on another person or group. These people are said to be part of the rival group at whom White shot.

After the shooting, the body camera footage shows people running away and others dropping to the ground.

Lester said that it did not sound like there was any return gunfire and that all the shots came from a single weapon.

Jessica Ramirez was celebrating her birthday that night on Sixth Street. She was out with her sister and her boyfriend, waiting in line to get into the 512 bar. Then gunshots rang out.

She said she heard about three shots before realizing she had been struck. Ramirez said the bullet went through her right shoulder, across her neck and to her left shoulder. The shooting left her paraplegic, with breathing problems and unable to use the restroom on her own.

"It's hard," she said.

Prosecutors later brought to the stand Jamie Bryans, an Austin police officer who applied first aid to Kantor. Bryans' body camera footage showed the bloody victim being supported by another person and walking toward Bryans.

Once this video started, Julia Kantor, the victim's mother, burst into tears, and his father, Joe Kantor, bowed his head.

The video showed Bryans and other officers applying first aid to Kantor. Bryans said that during an active shooter situation such as this, ambulance and firetrucks won't enter the area until it's safe to do so.

Realizing that Kantor had suffered a "through-and-through" gunshot wound to his torso and another to his wrist, Bryans and the other officers decided to carry him to a police car and drive him to the hospital so he could receive immediate medical attention at Dell Seton Medical Center.

After the video, prosecutors called to the stand Julia Kantor, who approached with tears rolling down her face. She said her son had just graduated with a master's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan. He planned to marry his partner of 10 years and move back to New York so they could start a family.

Douglas Kantor was visiting Austin with two of his childhood friends in part to celebrate his graduation. She said he couldn't wait to come to Austin.

"Doug read it was so beautiful here," Julia Kantor said.

'Ripped out from underneath you'

During a press conference Tuesday evening, Douglas Kantor's loved ones described what it was like to see their son, brother and fiancein pain during his final moments.

"Nothing could prepare you to see your younger brother in his last waking moments," said Nicholas Kantor, the victim's brother.

As prosecutors showed that clip, Nicholas Kantor put his arm around his mother and held her as she cried. The family members agreed that increased safety measures on Sixth Street could have saved his brother's life.

"It's not going to change anything for us," Julia Kantor said, "but (White) should be held accountable."

Adrianna Esposito, who was Douglas Kantor's fiancee, said she's still working through her grief.

"I just missed my best friend," Esposito said with tears in her eyes. "Over 10 years with somebody and expecting to spend the next 70 years with them, and that's just ripped out from underneath you."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Suspect in 2021 deadly Sixth Street mass shooting pleads not guilty