Man fatally shot by Alameda County sheriff's deputies had object designed to resemble a firearm,' agency says

"Cat Brooks, co-founder and executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project, reacted with frustration to the sheriff's office's announcement Thursday. She called on the sheriff's office to promptly share more details about the object that Anderson was purported to be holding, while also making public body-worn camera footage worn by deputies that day. If they want the community to believe that, then they should release all of the footage, Brooks said. They should release the 911 call."

"This is what happens when a system built on force responds to mental health crises, read organization's statement, which highlighted concerns aired by Anderson's mother that he had suffered from depression. 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."

"The unarmed man killed by Alameda County sheriff's deputies earlier this week had been holding an object that was designed to resemble a firearm when he was fatally shot, the agency said Thursday. No other details about the object were released by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, whose deputies have come under investigation by the California Department of Justice for their actions during the Monday morning shooting."

An unarmed 40-year-old musician, Anthony Anderson, was fatally shot by Alameda County sheriff's deputies on Feb. 9, 2026, while he reportedly held an object designed to resemble a firearm. The Sheriff's Office released no further details about the object. The California Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the deputies' actions. The sheriff's office did not acknowledge the encounter publicly for more than 12 hours. Family members and police accountability advocates have demanded transparency, calling for release of body-worn camera footage and the 911 call. Advocates linked the killing to inadequate crisis response for mental health emergencies.

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