A South Austin police officers shot a man reportedly in the throes of a mental health crisis after he pointed a gun at them, the Austin Police Department disclosed. The tense situation unfolded on Saturday morning at a residence on Brecon Lane, an area typically known for its calm suburban atmosphere, according to KVUE.
Responding to a distressing 911 call, officers rushed to the scene around 9:31 a.m., finding a man in his midlife crisis, slicing at his wrists and losing blood at an alarming rate. Adding to this alarming scene, during the gunfire, the man had the presence of mind to hide, eluding the same officers who were attempting to neutralize the threat he posed. Meanwhile, a stab at non-lethal force was made – one officer deployed a Taser, an effort deemed "ineffective," as per police statements acquired by FOX 7 Austin.
As described by interim police chief Robin Henderson in a press conference, the crisis peaked when officers saw the man bear a firearm, to which they responded with gunfire after the failure of a Taser to subdue him. Post the altercation and ensuing chaos, the man was whisked away to a local hospital, where he remains in stable condition, enduring injuries not considered life-threatening.
Despite the volatile scenario, no civilians or officers were harmed, aside from the individual at the center of the incident, who was grievously wounding himself before police action. Before the injured man was located, two additional APD officers, trained as mental health experts, made their way inside to quell the perilous juncture—a detail further underscoring the complexity of their mission that day. The entire episode was captured on body-worn cameras, a graphic testament to the day's events that police say will be made public within 10 business days.
Both officers involved in the shooting, one near six years of tenure and another approaching a dozen years with APD, have been relegated to administrative duty amidst ongoing investigations. A criminal investigation will be conducted by the APD Special Investigations Unit in alliance with the Travis County District Attorney's Office, and parallel administrative scrutiny will be overseen by the APD Internal Affairs Unit and the Office of Police Oversight. APD appeals to anyone with insights on the incident to step forward and contact them or reach out to Crime Stoppers to share information anonymously.
