A man is dead following an officer-involved shooting late Sunday night in North Austin. A 74-year-old man was killed after shooting at officers from inside of his home, police said.
According to Chief of Police Brian Manley, the entire incident began with a 911 call from a woman who said her husband had threatened her with a gun. Roughly five minutes after receiving the 911 call, officers arrived on-scene at the Salado at Walnut Creek apartments on East Anderson Lane. By that time, Manley said, the woman had managed to lock herself inside of a bedroom. SWAT officers were able to make entry into the home to rescue the woman, at which time the man barricaded himself inside.
After multiple attempts to coax the man out of his home failed, nearby residents were evacuated. Nearly an hour after those evacuations, the man reportedly walked to the front door and began firing off rounds at officers.
“The suspect came to the front door, opened the front door with a firearm in his hand, and fired multiple shots at the SWAT team that had taken a position in front of this apartment complex,” Manley said.
Some of those rounds struck a tactical vehicle that was being used as cover by the officers.
“The tactical vehicle has multiple impacts from firearm projectiles, along with multiple flat tires where it was struck with gunfire,” Manley said.
A 25-year veteran of the Austin Police Department then returned fire.
“Striking the suspect, and fatally wounding him,” Manley said. “The suspect was pronounced deceased here on the scene.”
No officers were hurt. The man’s wife was taken to the hospital for tratment and evaluation.
