An early-morning deputy-involved shooting in the East Bay has left a community grieving and raising questions about how mental health crises are handled by law enforcement. Authorities have identified the man fatally shot by Alameda County deputies as 40-year-old Anthony Anderson, a well-known local musician and performer.
The shooting occurred outside Anderson’s home in the Fairmont Terrace neighborhood, situated between San Leandro and Hayward. Deputies were dispatched to the residence after receiving a report of a person allegedly threatening others with a firearm. According to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, deputies encountered an individual exiting the home who they say posed an immediate threat, prompting them to open fire. Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members strongly dispute the suggestion that Anderson was armed. His mother, Kristina Anderson, told local media that her son did not own a gun and had been struggling with depression in the period leading up to his death. She said he had been seeking help for his mental health challenges, adding that the outcome has left her devastated and searching for answers.
Anthony Anderson was widely known in the East Bay music scene under the name “Anthony Ant.” A graduate of Berkeley High School, he was a talented trumpet player and a familiar face at the Starry Plough Pub, where he regularly hosted popular “funk nights.” Friends and fellow musicians describe him as creative, warm, and deeply connected to his community.
News of Anderson’s death has sparked renewed concern among residents and advocates about police responses to mental health-related calls. Many are calling for greater use of crisis intervention teams and alternative response models when individuals are in distress.
As required under California law, the state Attorney General’s Office has taken over the investigation because the shooting involved an unarmed civilian. The inquiry will examine the circumstances leading up to the encounter, including the initial call for service and the actions taken by deputies at the scene.
For Anderson’s family and the wider East Bay community, the loss is both personal and symbolic — the death of a beloved artist and the painful reminder of the risks that can arise when mental health emergencies intersect with armed law enforcement responses.