Austin, Texas to pay $10 million to two men injured by police in 2020 protests

The Austin City Council approved paying a combined $10 million to two men injured by police. The two men were injured during the 2020 social justice protests.

According to NBCDFW, the settlements are some of the largest to be paid to people who were injured by police during the protests and riots that ensued after the killing of George Floyd.

Justin Howell received the largest sum of the settlement. He was granted $8 million after he suffered a cracked skull and brain damage, leaving him in critical condition for several days. Anthony Evans also received $2 million after suffering extensive trauma to his jaw after officers shot him with a beanbag round.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler said that the settlements “remind us of a real difficult and painful moment in our city.” The city of Austin released a statement saying, “We have reviewed the totality of the circumstances surrounding the protests, and we believe it is in the best interest of these plaintiffs and the city of Austin to resolve these cases now.”

Howell also issued a statement saying “While I wish this never happened, I’m grateful that the city of Austin has taken responsibility for what happened to me and deeply relieved that I will have the resources I need to rebuild and maintain my health.”

As of now, Austin has had 14 lawsuits from people who were injured from an especially chaotic weekend during the 2020 protests (Austin American-Statesman).