Douglas John Kantor

Douglas John Kantor was a 25-year-old White man from Airmont, New York, who had built a promising life for himself in Michigan. After earning a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Michigan State University, he began working as a product manager in the IT department at Ford Motor Company, where he was a motivated and well-regarded team player. While working, he completed a master's degree in business at the University of Michigan and bought his first house. His family said he had an infectious smile that could light up any room. He was looking forward to marrying his high school sweetheart of 10 years and starting a family.

In June 2021, Kantor was in Austin, Texas, visiting friends. In the early hours of Saturday, June 12, 2021, he was standing outside a bar in the city's crowded Sixth Street entertainment district. At around 1:24 a.m., a dispute between two groups of teenagers from Killeen erupted in gunfire. Kantor, an innocent bystander, was struck by a bullet in the abdomen. He was rushed to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical injuries. After fighting for his life for more than a day, Douglas Kantor succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 12:01 p.m. on Sunday, June 13, 2021. Thirteen other people were also wounded in the mass shooting.

The investigation into the shooting moved quickly. Within days, Austin police arrested two suspects: a 15-year-old juvenile and 17-year-old Jeremiah Roshawn Leland James Tabb. The juvenile was charged with deadly conduct, and Tabb was charged with aggravated assault. Investigators believed the shooting stemmed from an argument between the two groups from Killeen.

However, as the investigation continued, the case took a turn. On June 22, 2021, the Travis County District Attorney’s office announced that it was dropping the charges against the two teenagers. Prosecutors stated there was not sufficient evidence to prove that either of them had fired the shot that killed Douglas Kantor.

Based on ballistics evidence, investigators identified a new suspect as the person responsible for Kantor's death. Authorities issued a murder warrant for the arrest of 19-year-old De'ondre White. Police said that while the first two teens arrested were involved in the dispute and had guns, the evidence showed the fatal shot came from White's weapon. As of June 2021, authorities were still searching for De'ondre White.