A Texas judge whose son was senselessly murdered has called out local leaders who told her ‘not to make a big deal’ out of the slaying over fears it would impact tourism.
Lori Massey Brissette, a fourth Court of Appeals justice in San Antonio, posted a statement on social media blasting top brass in the Texas city which is fast becoming a byword for violent crime.
‘My son was killed in March of 2023 across the street from the Alamo,’ she wrote. ‘I was actually told by one of our leaders not to ‘make a big deal’ out of it for fear it would impact tourism.’
Brissette’s son Justin was attacked, robbed and left for dead outside of a bar near the Alamo in March of last year.
Her post excoriated local authorities for their lack of action to crack down on crime in the downtown area, after three tourists were killed in the space of three months.
She said: ‘3 tourists killed downtown in 3 months yet not one city or county official has done or said a thing. They are not just silent. They are absent.’
Lori Massey Brissette, a fourth Court of Appeals justice in San Antonio, posted a statement on social media blasting top brass in the Texas city. Brissette is seen here with her son Justin
She urged her social media followers to share her post and to pose the question ‘where are our leaders’
She continued: ‘I was told it was a random act of violence. I was told that again when the 80-year-old grandmother was killed in May.
‘I was told that even though I provided data showing 93 assault-in-progress calls from one block of downtown in the 12 months before my son was killed.
‘Now in addition to a mental health worker and a 80 year old grandmother, we have lost a coach and a businessman.
‘How many ‘random acts of violence’ have to occur before we admit we have a problem – before our city and county leaders ADMIT we have a problem and COMMIT to taking action?’
She urged her social media followers to share her post and to pose the question ‘where are our leaders’ when doing so.
In May, a woman was killed by a stray bullet. In June a woman in town for a conference was shot and killed while sitting at a bar and another attack outside a hotel left a man dead.
Brissette’s son Justin, seen here, was attacked, robbed and left for dead outside of a bar near the Alamo in March of last year
Heidi Silkworth, 80, was later identified by police as the woman killed by the stray bullet. Police said she had been caught in crossfire of a shooting.
Silkworth was from Euless, a suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and had been in San Antonio for a graduation.
Also in May, repeat offender Bryan Davis was arrested by cops and indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the death of Judge Brissette’s son.
Police investigating Justin’s death said he got into an argument with a group of men and two women.
At one point he was hit and knocked out, while he was unconscious the group are said to have stole his valuables and ran off.
He regained consciousness and he was taken to a friend’s house where he again lost consciousness before he was rushed to hospital where he died.
In May, repeat offender Bryan Davis was arrested by cops and indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with her son’s death
Police investigating Justin’s death said he got into an argument with a group of men and two women. A security grab from the incident is seen here with the suspects wanted left unblurred
Brissette told KSAT: ‘It was hard because it felt like people were saying my son’s life was irrelevant.
‘I’ve spent over a year and a half trying to get city and county officials to care about not only my son, but the larger problem.’
As she awaits justice for her son, she told the outlet she would continue to speak out as a way to remember him.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office released a statement.
‘The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office typically saturates the riverwalk as we have in summers past with our “Hats on the Riverwalk,” due to an increase in tourism the downtown area experiences during the summer months,” they said.
‘Since June 24th, Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputies have provided presence along the riverwalk as a visual deterrent for crime, but also in the event that an incident arose, Deputies can respond and assist as needed.’
