Why Was David Morales Lynched?

It's too early to know any specifics, but it doesn't erase the fact that an angry mob killed this man.

A group of men fatally beat a passenger in a car that police said accidentally struck a child outside an East Austin apartment complex, police said today.

As many as 3,000 people were in the area following a Juneteenth celebration at the time, officials said. Austin police Cmdr. Harold Piatt estimated that dozens were in the parking lot of the Booker T. Washington apartment complex at the time and that preliminary information shows no witnesses apparently tried to prevent or stop the attack.

[snip]

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 477-3588.

"We know we had a number of folks who saw something," Piatt said. "Hopefully there are some good Samaritans who are as upset about we are about what happened."

tplohetski@statesman.com; 445-3605

linkage (emphasis mine)

Of course, the trolls over at FreeRepublic are taking the opportunity to call this "jungle justice", pondering whether or not Morales is undocumented since he has a Latino surname, and other bile that I won't bother linking to - but this whole incident makes me very sad.

During a Juneteenth celebration of all things.

[UPDATE] Welcome to any TailRank readers that made their way here.

[UPDATE #2] Dos Centavos is linking to a video with a joint statement from local LULAC leaders and the Austin Black Democrats to help alleviate any prospective racial tension.