Anthony Joseph Anderson, Who Went by “Anthony Ant,” Died in San Leandro Police Shooting Outside His Home
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA (February 12, 2026) – A 40-year-old Bay Area musician identified as Anthony Anderson has tragically died in an Alameda County police shooting outside of his home near San Leandro.
Alameda County sheriff’s deputies were called to his home after he allegedly told authorities he had a gun. The police encountered Anthony Anderson on the 16000 block of Selborne Avenue.
At some point during the encounter, deputies opened fire after they mistakenly believed he was holding a firearm. The object was later determined to be some sort of pipe.
Paramedics were called to the scene to help the victim. Despite life-saving measures, Anthony Anderson later died due to the severe nature of his injuries.
He was well-known and loved in the community and remembered as an accomplished trumpet player. The California Attorney General’s office is currently investigating the shooting as required by AB 1506.
Liability for Alameda County Police Shootings
Police officers in California are required to exercise a great deal of care to avoid needlessly harming suspects. A police department can be liable for the excessive force of their officers. Pursuant to 42 U.S. Code § 1983, every person who, under the color of any statute, law or ordinance, causes a citizen of the United States to be deprived of their rights secured by the constitution, shall be liable to the injured party in an action at law. Police officers should take a number of measures to avoid harming suspects.
- De-Escalation: Police officers should use calm verbal commands and engage in active listening.
- Use of Force Continuum: Police officers should always use the least amount of force necessary for any given situation. They should only escalate force when absolutely necessary.
- Recognize Mental Distress: Police officers should be able to recognize the signs that a suspect is in mental distress and take the appropriate action.
- Less-Lethal: Police officers should use less-lethal measures in many situations before resorting to the use of their firearms.
Police shootings often involve officers that are either unwilling or unable to de-escalate encounters. Officers may rush into a situation and begin aggressively yelling commands all at once. This can often make the situations much worse. Courts in California will take into consideration the totality of circumstances leading to any fatal shooting to determine whether officers used excessive force. Even if a police shooting seemed justified in the moment, it may not be when considering everything that happened prior to the shooting.
Steps to Take After California Police Shootings
A large portion of police shootings involve suspects who are in the midst of a mental health crisis. According to one study in Springer Nature, “One in five fatal police shooting victims may have been experiencing a mental health crisis (MHC) at the time of their death.” Part of the problem is that many officers are poorly trained to deal with these types of encounters. Certain steps should be taken after any fatal police shooting.
- Body Camera: All of the body camera footage captured by officers should be sought and carefully examined.
- Eyewitnesses: Any person who may have more information about what happened should be interviewed as early as possible.
- Medical Records: Any medical records or autopsy reports related to the incident should be sought.
- Constitutional Review: The family of any person who died in a police shooting should seek an independent review of the incident with the team experienced in constitutional law and excessive force claims.
Police departments are supposed to be transparent after any person is killed by one of their officers. But far too often this does not take place. They may not turn over key pieces of evidence. In far too many of these incidents, police departments will investigate themselves and come to the determination that they did nothing wrong. This is why it is so important that these shootings are investigated by an outside party.
Investigating Alameda County Police Shootings
We at Carrazco Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Anthony Anderson. Any person who may have more information should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. A number of questions remain unanswered at this time.
Do you need more information about an Alameda County police shooting? Our team of civil rights advocates is here for you. We care deeply that victims of police brutality and their families are aware of their rights and police departments are held accountable for their illegal conduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we may be able to help. You can reach out to us anytime at (800) 541-3244.
