Brad Brooks

LUBBOCK Texas (Reuters). Several officers were indicted by a grand jury at Austin for excessive force used during racial justice demonstrations in Texas in 2020. Authorities announced this on Thursday.

However, the number of officers being indicted was still unknown by authorities. President of Austin Police Association Union said 19 officers faced charges.

On Thursday, the city of Austin announced a total settlement of $10 million with two victims of beanbag rounds during protests. Austin City Council approved $8 million for Justin Howell, $2 million for Anthony Evans. They both were killed by beanbag round bullets during the 2020 protests.

Following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Texas in 2005, demonstrations were held in Austin and in several other U.S. locations.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza said the indictments would be made public in the coming days as officers were booked and processed through the system. He declined to say the number of officers facing charges.

Garza declared that “many of the protesters hurt by police during the demonstrations were innocent bystanders”, during a press conference. “Some people will never fully recover.”

On Thursday, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon stated that the officers had been working in chaotic conditions and were repeatedly being attacked with rocks, bodily fluid bottles, and other objects.

According to the chief, although initially hundreds were expected by the department for protests, they grew rapidly to include several thousand.

Chacon said that there were “significant portions of the protests that were violent and riotous.” Property looting and destruction occurred over many days starting with the protests.

Ken Casaday of the Austin Police Association Union accused the District Attorney of using working officers “as pawns” in a game of chess.

Casaday called Reuters and said that 19 officers had been charged. It was a clarification of the Union’s previous report via Twitter (NYSE:), that indicated that 20 officers are facing criminal charges.