On the early morning of May 27th, a distressing scene unfolded in a north Austin apartment complex that resulted in a police officer shooting and killing a man amidst a violent attack. KXAN reports that, according to the Austin Police Department, officers answered a 911 call about a loud altercation on Tech Ridge Boulevard around 1:34 a.m. Neighbors had described hearing cries for help along with the sounds of yelling and banging.
Upon arrival, officers, including six-year APD veteran Cody Schulz, encountered a man identified as Ensel Maclare-Urgelles, 49, "actively stabbing" a woman. As reported by KXAN, APD stated that to "protect the life of the victim," Officer Schulz discharged his department-approved firearm, striking Maclare-Urgliches. Unfortunately, discovered too late by arriving officers, the police intervention could not prevent the gravity of harm already inflicted upon the woman.
The body camera footage, recently released by the police department, provides a clear sequence of the incident that led up to the fatal shooting. According to FOX 7 Austin, the videos, along with two 911 audio files and police radio communications, have been shared on the APD's YouTube page. The female victim, who endured "multiple stab wounds" and had been in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, has since been released from the hospital.
APD's Officer Alexis Cruz, who was also on the scene that night, did not discharge his weapon, but his body cam video gives additional perspective on the events. After the shooting of Mr. Maclare-Urgelles, who was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m., officers administered life-saving efforts until EMS took over. Presented too late for public scrutiny, however, these life-saving efforts were unable to alter the final outcome for Mr. Maclare-Urgelles. FOX 7 Austin describes that the investigations into the shooting are being handled both criminally and administratively; the Special Investigations Unit of APD and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office are conducting the former, while APD's internal affairs unit, with oversight from the Office of Police Oversight, are overseeing the latter.
APD encourages anyone with information related to the incident to come forward and contact the Special Investigations Unit at (512) 974-6840 or the Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. Tips can also be submitted online through the Capitol Area Crime Stoppers website, with the option to remain anonymous.
