Texas: 3 Injured After Shooting Involving Austin Police; Suspect Fatally Shot

Late Saturday night in downtown Austin, Texas, a gun-wielding suspect was fatally shot by three police officers responding to a disturbance call outside a bar, according to ABC News.

The incident resulted in injuries to three bystanders. The downtown area, particularly East 6th Street, a hub of entertainment in the Texas capital, was the scene of the shooting before midnight.

According to Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson, the police received a call at 11:52 PM on Saturday reporting a Texas man attempting to enter a bar with a gun.

Uniformed officers arrived promptly, and bar employees identified the suspect outside the establishment.

As the officers approached, the suspect allegedly pointed his firearm in the direction of both the officers and innocent bystanders.

"In response, three APD officers fired their department-approved firearms at the suspect. The suspect sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was later pronounced deceased," said Chief Henderson at a news conference on Sunday.

Austin Police Officers Involved in Shooting Under Investigation

During the confrontation, three individuals, aside from the Texas man who was killed, sustained injuries, although the details of how they were harmed remain unclear, per KVUE.

One person is in critical condition, while the other two have non-life-threatening injuries.

The three involved officers, each with a minimum of nine years of experience, are on administrative duty pending an investigation.

The Austin Police Department (APD) plans to release body camera footage within 10 business days.

Two parallel investigations will be conducted: the Travis County District Attorney's Office and the APD's Special Investigations Unit will undertake a criminal investigation, while the APD's Internal Affairs Unit and the Office of Police Oversight will handle an administrative inquiry.

The identity of the deceased gunman has not been disclosed, and authorities are seeking public assistance for any additional information relevant to the ongoing investigations, BNN noted.

History of Violence on East Sixth Street

The East Sixth Street entertainment district has witnessed a surge in violent incidents in recent years, Yahoo! News reports.

Incidents of violence, including a mass shooting, have unfortunately occurred in Austin since 2021.

One tragic event involved the death of 25-year-old Doug Kantor, a visitor from Michigan, and the injury of thirteen others. The perpetrator, a 19-year-old gunman, received a 30-year sentence for the crime.

Following the mass shooting, the Austin City Council initiated measures to address violence, such as opening the street to vehicular traffic on weekend evenings.

Despite these efforts, subsequent incidents occurred, including life-threatening injuries to two women, the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Dyvyne Ware, and a late-night altercation during South by Southwest in 2022 that left four people injured.

The area's ongoing challenges have prompted Dallas-based Stream Realty Partners to purchase over 30 properties along East Sixth Street, aiming to redevelop and revitalize the region while preserving its historic character.

The redevelopment project, scheduled to commence in January, seeks to restore Sixth Street to its former vibrancy.

Paul Bodenman, the Senior Vice President at Stream, expressed the importance of revitalizing Sixth Street in Austin, considering it central to the city and essential for preserving its vitality.

The aim is to bring back the vibrancy and character that has made Sixth Street a beloved and iconic part of Austin, Texas.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Austin shooting 6th Street: Man killed by APD after trying to enter bar with gun - From KVUE