What Happened To Raj Moonesighe?

Raj Moonesighe was shot by the Austin Police while defending his home.

Austin man was shot and killed defending his home. The Austin Police shot and killed 33-year old Rajan (Raj) Moonesighe after he called the law to report the suspicion of an intruder inside his home.

And like Atatiana Jefferson, he was defending his home with a firearm. A theme of those white folks living in Texas, have a gun and a hat. I guess if you're a person of color, having a gun to defend your home is a death sentence. Cops see threat if the person is Black or in this case, South Asian.

According to the far right: White shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanics and Asians shooters are illegal immigrants. Almost all mass shooters are registered Democrats because they have liked one thing common to the left.

Raj was a tech guru who earned a living being a specialist in IT. He moved to a neighborhood in the city that was secure. However, his sense of security was interrupted.

He had went outside with his assualt weapon. In the video footage, Raj is seen with his firearm and pointing it. Austin Police released a Ring camera video that shows Moonesinghe outside his home with his rifle, pointing it at something off-camera and saying, “Are you sure you want this?” before firing the weapon. In the background you see an officer pull up.

According to police, when the officer arrived, he gave Moonesinghe a verbal command to drop the gun before firing his department-approved firearm at Moonesinghe. APD said Moonesinghe was struck and fell to the ground, and the rifle was on the ground at his side.

In the video, you can hear police saying to drop the gun a split second before opening fire and shooting Moonesinghe. In a video shown from the perspective of the officer, just seconds after the officer exits the vehicle, you can hear the sound of gunfire. 

After not receiving a response from Moonesinghe after he was shot, officers began life-saving measures, according to police. Within a minute of the shooting, officers were next to him and one could be heard saying “Roll over on your stomach, buddy, so we can help you.” The video police released doesn’t show the life-saving measures.

Austin-Travis County EMS officials arrived at the scene nine minutes later, and Moonesinghe was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The officer who fired his gun, Officer Daniel Sanchez, was placed on administrative leave, APD said. He has two years and nine months of service with APD.

Not even a second a cop shot Raj.

Chris Harris with the Austin Justice Coalition said the video raises a lot of questions.

“Obviously about whom the victim was talking to and engaging with his gun prior to when APD arrived,” said Harris. “Secondly, about whether it was necessary for the officer to immediately open fire with basically no warning or announcement.”

Harris said the video will help in the investigation.

“We deserve access to that footage, particularly when that footage shows officers making life or death decisions,” said Harris.

His brother Johann released a statement calling for a criminal investigation into the matter. How the hell can a two year officer make a one second decision to fire off his service weapon upon seeing an individual? 

Was the officer even in danger of being shot?

“Yesterday, I had the opportunity to view the police footage and security footage of the last minutes of my brother’s life. As difficult as that was, it was an incredibly important step towards finding out the truth of the events leading up to his murder by police on November 15, 2022. The video clearly shows that Raj never threatened the officers, he didn’t even know they were there. I’d encourage everyone to watch the videos being released today to make their own judgments. Thank goodness Raj had his Ring security camera on his porch because, without it, the police would have continued to lie about what happened that night.

“After watching the video, it is evident that the officer who shot Raj did this without identifying himself, without thinking, and before giving my brother a chance to explain who he was and why he was outside.  Instead, he arrived without flashing lights or sirens, pulled out an assault rifle, took a hidden defensive position behind a fence 25 yards away, and killed my brother. He began firing before finishing his command to ‘drop your gun’ and continued to fire once Raj had dropped his gun and put his hands up and continued to fire once Raj had dropped his gun and put his hands up. It’s clear from the security footage that Raj didn’t even know the police officer was there. His last words as he lay on the ground were ‘it wasn’t me.’

“Instead of getting justice for Raj, the Austin Police Department continues with its attempts to cover up what happened. The security footage they released today is an edited version that intentionally removes the interaction that Raj had with his neighbor one minute beforehand where he told her there was someone in his house and yelled into his home, ‘I’m calling the police, get out of my house.’

“It is beyond comprehension that the police acted this way. The police knew he was the homeowner concerned with a potential intruder. They shot first and asked questions later. As an Austinite myself, I’m outraged to think that these are the people tasked with protecting our community.

Raj was a loving son who took care of our parents financially and the co-founder of a very successful tech company which we moved to Austin in 2018. We ask the City and the District Attorney to do their jobs and hold the officer accountable. Otherwise, these senseless shootings will continue and more innocent people will be shot and killed by Austin police officers.”

APD said after the shooting, officers could see inside the home through the open front door. An officer gave verbal commands to check for anyone who may have been hurt or inside the home. Officers also checked the home but didn’t find anyone inside.

Every community in the United States will eventually have a legacy. A legacy of tragedy. Gun violence, monkeypox and COVID-19 will affect your town, your family and your life. So I don't want to hear that bullshit about how gun reform is taking away your rights to own firearms.

I don't want to hear that protesting against police killing people of color is hate on cops in general. I don't want to hear talk about the coronavirus being a myth.

When you hear folks say "gun rights," what they really mean is that its white privilege. This good guy with a gun nonsense has to end. The cops didn't do nothing when children were shot inside a school. A security guard was shot dead trying to protect shoppers. A cop accidentally shot his own. The good guy who tried to stop a bad guy is outgunned and a part of the rule #3.

Remember #3 means: The "good guy with a gun" better be prepared to die if they want to stop a shooter.

I don't want to hear folks say masks and vaccine mandates impede their freedoms. It prevents a deadly outbreak from spreading. If you want to die from the coronavirus, that's on you. We lost over 1 million people from the coronavirus.

I don't want to hear the shit about guns saving lives. Cause a bullet does not have eyes and it's always likely gonna hit a target. These folks seem to not get it. These incidents are a tragic part of American history. Thoughts and prayers and your heart going out to the victims is not enough. It quite frankly is an insult. I am also tired of scapegoating Black on Black crime, Chicago, Baltimore and Democratic mayors for the nation's obsession to be numb to gun violence. You pretty much enable this nonsense by deflecting.

President Joe Biden is trying to curb gun violence. However, he has no support from Republicans. Most Democrats and America are for gun control measures. However the two Democrats in the Senate refuse to change the filibuster rules and its holding us back.

The National Rifle Association is always pushing against it. They will not relinquish from the narrative that guns are not saving lives. The Republicans aided by a fickle junk food media are openly encouraging anarchy and disruption in a desperate attempt for the Republicans to win back Congress and the White House. These agitators are calling for Biden to curb crime but will not help him. They want more guns on the street. It makes no sense.

So in closing, expect more.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those who were killed in the line of duty. Those who don't get their names mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

The call number to the U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official phone number, 202-224-3121. Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence.

GUN VIOLENCE IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES.