Three people were injured and an armed suspect was killed in a police-involved shooting in the middle of a crowded Austin, Texas street on December 16, CBS News reported.
According to Austin police, officers called to 6th Street and fired on the suspect who was later pronounced dead. No police officers were wounded in the shooting and Austin police said it was unclear whether the three others injured were shot by officers or the armed suspect.
Police were responding to an incident reported at a downtown Austin bar just before midnight on December 16 after receiving a report of someone trying to enter the bar with a gun.
Austin Police Interim Chief Robin Henderson told reporters the following morning that the investigation into the shooting was in the early stages and any information was preliminary and could change as the investigation continues.
When officers arrived, an employee at the bar identified the suspect and officers approached him. The suspect then pulled out a firearm and pointed it toward the responding officers. At that point, three officers fired at the suspect hitting him multiple times and eventually killing him.
The three other individuals shot and wounded were transported to a nearby hospital. One of the wounded was suffering from critical injuries.
Interim Chief Henderson said the officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative duty while an internal investigation into the shooting is conducted. Austin police would also coordinate a criminal investigation into the incident with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
According to Henderson, the officers have been with the Austin Police Department for 13, 11, and nine years and the firearms used in the shooting were approved by the department. The incident was recorded on officers’ body cameras and the Austin police would be releasing the footage to the public.
