Following the officer-involved shooting on January 11, the Austin Police Department (APD) is still piecing together the events that unfolded that evening on South 1st St., in Lockhart, Texas. Placed on administrative leave, is the officer who fired their weapon, as standard protocol dictates while the investigation is underway.
According to the official APD statement, the episode commenced when APD's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit responded to a call for assistance at around 5 p.m. The evening in question, ultimately leading to the discharge of a firearm by an APD officer at 7:34 p.m., resulting in a suspect being hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. No APD officers sustained injuries during the occurrence.
Taking the reigns of investigation are the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Rangers alongside Caldwell County District Attorney's Office, which will conduct a criminal review, while APD's Internal Affairs Unit, overseen by the Office of Police Oversight, initiates an administrative investigation. With the investigations being in their infancy, the department has vowed to uphold transparency and accountability within the community.
The Caldwell County D.A.'s office has opted not to treat this event as an APD Critical Incident Briefing, and thus, has decided to hold back on releasing related materials. The APD SWAT Team, whose duties involve mutual aid support for other agencies, operated within the prescribed policies and standard procedures for SWAT operations. Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact APD's Special Investigation Unit or Capital Area Crime Stoppers, with the promise of anonymity for those who wish it.
