Mike Getz
A peaceful protest turned into a harrowing moment for a former teacher who ultimately reported a former Beaumont City Councilman for pulling a gun on a volunteer shielding her from the suspect’s alleged wrath.
Special Education Advocate and Activist Daisy Ashford said she was setting up to conduct a peaceful demonstration in support of special education students at Harmony Science Academy Middle High School on Monday, Aug. 17 when the event took a potentially deadly turn.
“About 10 minutes after setting up for the demonstration, a red car with small trailer drove up on Phelan and began picking up my signs,” she said. “When a volunteer tried to stop him, he pulled a gun on us. I told the volunteer to stand down and (the gunman) drove away.
“Fortunately, the police apprehended the suspect and we were able to press charges!”
Beaumont Police Department confirmed the alleged gunman was former Beaumont City Councilman Mike Getz, and there was an investigation into the matter ongoing as of press time Aug. 19.
Getz has a history of public confrontation detailed in the news.
In 2020, Getz admitted getting into the face of former Beaumont City Attorney Tyrone Cooper, threatening him with what was called lewd and hostile remarks.
Reportedly, Getz wanted to speak to former City Manager Kyle Hayes, who was busy speaking with the city attorney in a private meeting. Getz, it is reported, supposedly entered the office and, in front of multiple people, shouted to Cooper: “Suck my d**k!” and other derogatory statements, some taken as discriminatory to the African American attorney.
The incident was reported to the city’s Human Resource department. Cooper, who wanted to take the high road, declined to seek remedy from the municipality, and forego any lawsuit that could have arisen from the event. The matter was later handled in a public meeting of the city council where Getz was censured by the elected body.
Then, according to Jerry Nathan, the father of Getz’ deceased wife, Allison Nathan Getz, the then-councilman shoved the elderly man out the door when he was coming to visit his now late daughter during her final days in 2023.
In 2024, Getz shared a first-hand account about an altercation he had in the parking lot of a Beaumont restaurant with KFDM. The incident was captured on camera and shared with local media.
According to Getz, he "popped" a man twice on the chin because he feared for his girlfriend's safety and his own.
"He could have had a gun, a knife, you know, he could have hit me first and that might not have been a pretty sight. So I just, you know, I'm glad that it ended up without anybody being seriously hurt," Getz reportedly told KFDM of an altercation that took place in The Grill at Calder's parking lot.
After Ashford’s encounter on Monday, she posted a photo of the suspect’s vehicle on social media.
“This is the man who stole our peaceful demonstration signs and pulled a gun on a volunteer,” she reported. “We will not be moved! I wonder who sent him on this assignment?”
Victim photo of alleged suspect vehicle