An 18-year-old man and two juveniles are facing charges after police say they robbed a group of U.S. Army service members at gunpoint outside a bar on East 6th Street, shooting one soldier in the face during the holdup. Alijah Rodriguez, 18, is charged with aggravated robbery, according to Travis County court records, while the two minors involved have not been publicly named.
Robbery Unfolded After Bar Closed
Austin police announced that the three suspects were arrested in connection with the armed robbery of the soldier, according to KXAN Austin. The robbery happened after a bar closed on East 6th Street just after 2:30 a.m. on September 13, when the two juvenile suspects encountered a group of Army service members and robbed them at gunpoint, per the same report. One of the juveniles went through the victim's wallet, removing its contents, before shooting the service member in the face, the station reports.
The wounded service member suffered serious injuries but has since been released from the hospital, the outlet notes. After the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in a car that Rodriguez was driving, according to the report.
Task Force and SWAT Made the Arrests Days Later
Nine days after the shooting, on September 22, the Austin Police Department's Violent Crime Task Force and the APD SWAT team took the three suspects into custody. That task force was expanded in March 2023 through a state partnership that brought in Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to help suppress violent crime, according to the Office of the Texas Governor.
Because Rodriguez is an adult, he faces the full weight of Texas's aggravated robbery statute. Under Texas Penal Code § 29.03, robbery involving a deadly weapon or serious bodily injury is elevated to a first-degree felony, carrying a punishment range of 5 to 99 years or life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, since the state has no separate armed robbery statute.
Juvenile Suspects Could Still Face Adult Court
The two minors arrested alongside Rodriguez face a murkier legal path. Under Texas Family Code § 54.02, minors aged 14 and older charged with first-degree felonies may be eligible for transfer to adult criminal court. It remains an open question whether Travis County prosecutors will seek that certification given the severity of the shooting.
If the juveniles instead remain in the juvenile system, Texas law allows for determinate sentencing of up to 40 years under Texas Family Code § 54.04, with the possibility of transfer to adult prison once the offender turns 19, according to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. That blended model is designed to balance rehabilitation with the seriousness of violent offenses committed by minors.
The Robbery Took Place on East 6th Street
The robbery took place on East 6th Street.
Police are asking anyone with additional information about the incident to call APD's robbery tip line at 512-974-5092. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477, which offers cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.
