Man who was fatally shot by Alameda County deputies identified as local musician

By Amanda Hari

SAN LEANDRO — The unarmed man who was shot and killed by Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies has been identified as 40-year-old Anthony Anderson by the Anti Police-Terror Project.

The organization released his name Wednesday afternoon.

Anderson was a well-known musician, playing shows in the East Bay. Now, that music community is grieving.

“He just had a lot of love and passion, a lot of fun too,” said Kev Choice, describing Anderson. “He was a fun person to be around, always smiling.”

Anderson was an accomplished trumpet player, and he brought people together to play music at the Starry Plough Pub in Berkeley. He was known there as “Anthony Ant”.

Kev Choice is also a musician and knew Anderson for more than a decade.

“It’s a tremendous loss because he is what we called a band leader, meaning he was the person who was putting together the bands; he was the person booking the venues,” said Choice. “He was the person paying the people. So, he was providing a lot of opportunity, creating a lot of spaces.”

Choise said, now, the community has to fill that void.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said they received a call from a person claiming to have a firearm around 3:20 Monday morning. When deputies arrived, they say a person exited the home on Selborne Drive and presented an immediate threat to deputies. Two deputies shot at him, and he died from his injuries.

A statement from the Anti Police-Terror Project claims it may have been a call for help.

“His mother, Kristina Anderson, has shared that her son was struggling with depression and was reaching out for help,” the statement said. “Instead of receiving care, he was met with lethal force. This is what happens when a system built on force responds to mental health crises. When someone calls for help, law enforcement shows up with guns instead of trained, community-based crisis responders. The result, once again, is a life taken and a family devastated.”

“We all know that police officers need more training when dealing with people who are having mental health crisis and sometimes there are other people who could come out to support in those types of situations so that a death in this tragic nature should not be the outcome of someone reaching out for help and support,” said Choice.

The California Department of Justice is investigating the shooting, as required by law in law enforcement shootings of unarmed civilians.

In the meantime, Choice is working on keeping Anderson’s memory alive.

“We’re going to keep the glory going in the Bay Area,” said Choice. “And much love to our community who’s grieving right now. We’ve got to come together with music as he would always want us to do.”

According to the APTP website, the organization supports families “surviving police terror in their fight for justice.”

“Documenting police abuses and connecting impacted families and community members with resources, legal referrals, and opportunities for healing,” their website states.