Shooting on 290 frontage road
Austin Police continue investigating an overnight shooting involving a police officer. Interim Chief Joseph Chacon says it began after midnight with a call from a driver who was being followed and shot at by another car. Chacon says two officers eventually tracked down that car on the frontage road of 290 and a gun battle ensued
“As officers stopped the vehicle and began to exit the vehicle. They immediately took gunfire from the suspect. Both officers returned fire at the suspect and the suspect was shot,” says Chaon.
He was treated by medics at the scene. Chacon says he has potentially life threatening injuries now but is in stable condition. One of the police officers was also shot suffering non life threatening injuries, but he was taken in for surgery this morning. Chacon says the driver who initially called 911 about being shot at was not hurt. Both officers involved there will be put on administrative duty
Shooting in Bryan
Down the road a bit in Bryan was a scene of panic and chaos as a gunman opened fire on his co-workers at the Kent Moore Cabinets. One person died, several others are recovering from gunshot wounds. Ricky Williams works at Kent Moore Cabinets and says he’s lucky to be alive.
“I heard the gunshots so I took off running once everybody else did. So then when I came back in, I seen two bodies, people trying to help them. Besides that, I’m really just trying to stay safe.”
One of the people shot was a DPS trooper. The alleged gunman, Larry Bolan sped away in a car. He was later tracked down and arrested and he’s now charged with murder
Fact checking criminal cases
Back here in Austin, a central Texas non profit is getting funding to help fact check criminal cases that end in a conviction. Austin City Council will accept more than 122,000 Department of Justice grant dollars and are sending all of it to capitol area private defender service. Mayor Steve Adler says they’ll be using that money to review and test DNA
“Could exonerate previously convicted individuals. This is a collaboration between Austin Police Department and the District Attorney’s office with justice as a central goal.” says Adler.
COVID-19 update
Austin in Travis County have eclipsed the 80,000 mark for confirmed cases since March of last year. 1,021 cases are reported as active this morning. There’s been a slight drop in hospitalizations though, for COVID totaling 139 currently, 78,187 people have made a recovery.
Round Rock mask mandate
The days are numbered for Round Rock’s mask mandate. As of midnight april 22, masks will no longer be mandated within the city limits. The council was faced with four options last night. Mayor Craig Morgan says he’s fully aware that no decisions are going to please everybody.
“Some wanted immediately, some wanted to come in the middle and some wanted to let it expire,” says Morgan.
The council has made the decision citing an increase in vaccinations and declining covid numbers businesses though, can still choose to require masks once the mandate is lifted.
Winter storm housing
The Williamson County judge has ordered the Sandalwood Management company to continue paying for hotel rooms for tenants who have been evicted from the townhomes at Double Creek in Round Rock. Tenants in 44 different units were given only seven days to vacate because of severe damage left behind by the February Storm. The judge says that’s just not enough time for the tenants to pack up and get out.
Following the winter storm, Austin City leaders have directed the city manager to come back with a plan to create six so called resilience hubs around the city. These would act as emergency shelters, evacuation centers and help with disaster relief distribution.
“That’s something we’ve been talking about four years and now I think more than ever we can very clearly see why these resiliency hubs are so critical,” says Councilman Greg Casar.
The city manager does have until June to come up with that plan.
Texas Power On Act
There is a push in Washington to strengthen the texas electric grid. Senator John Cornyn has unveiled the Texas Power On Act, which would pump a half billion dollars in grants into the states, help weatherize the grid, which buckled under that extreme cold.
“Whether it’s sub zero temperatures or gale force winds or any other type of extreme weather. Our electric grid must be able to withstand the impact,” says Cornyn.
That money wouldn’t be used to build any new infrastructure but rather improve what’s already in place.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-4-9-21
