Fort Worth residents rally behind activist accused in casket incident with mayor
Fort Worth residents packed a city council public comment meeting Tuesday, demanding that Mayor Mattie Parker apologize for comments directed at nonprofit leader and community activist Patrice Jones.
It comes two weeks after the Sept. 30 council meeting, when Parker told Jones, “I have your casket.”
The mayor later explained she was referring to a December 2022 incident where a casket painted with the names of people killed by police was left on the mayor’s lawn.
“I wanted her to know that I knew she was involved in leaving a casket in our front yard. There is evidence in the police report from December of 2022 and eyewitness accounts to this fact,” Parker said in an Oct. 2 statement to the Star-Telegram.
The Star-Telegram filed a records request on Oct. 1 seeking a copy of the full police report and along with photos and evidence. Fort Worth police responded on Oct. 13 saying they are compiling a thumb drive with photos from the incident.
A publically available version of the report does not indicate that Jones was involved.
Several residents accused Parker of trying Jones in the court of public opinion without providing evidence to her involvement in the casket incident.
“You said you felt triggered as a mother and a home defender, but what was Atatiana Jefferson,” asked Arlington Heights resident Ken Shimamoto speaking at the Oct. 14 council meeting.
Shimamoto and others called on the Mayor to apologize to Jones, and to increase the number of public comment meetings after the council voted during the Sept. 30 meeting to reduce the number from 15 to 10.
Several residents also criticized Parker for appearing to solicit the support of faith leaders amid the backlash over her comments to Jones.
State Rep. and Mercy Culture Pastor Nate Schatzline asked members of his congregation to support city leaders in a social media post, however, in a text message to the Star-Telegram he emphasized the mayor did not ask anyone to speak at the council meeting.
Jones made no mention of the casket comment incident when speaking at the Oct. 14 council meeting.
Instead, she used her time to talk about Atatianna Jefferson and other Fort Worth residents killed in encounters with police, and asked for a moment of silence.
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains,” Jones said.
Mayor Parker did not speak at the meeting and left immediately after its conclusion.
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 9:55 PM.
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