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Two Austin police officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing by Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore.
On May 7, 2017, Sergeant Richard Egal and Corporal Max Johnson heard what they believed to be a gunshot fired on 6th Street near Trinity. Egal and Johnson the heded to the area.
Surveillance footage from the Moose Knuckle Pub captured a fight involving a handful of patrons, and as Egal and Johnson arrived, a woman ran by them screaming that someone had fired a gun into the air. Based on the description given to the officers by the woman, they began chasing the man they believed to be responsible, later identified as 24-year-old Landon Nobles.
As Nobles ran, Egal –who was on bike patrol at the time — threw his bike in front of the 24-year-old, causing him to fall. Moore’s report says Nobles got to his feet with a gun in his hand and continued to run, later turning back toward police and pinting that gun at them. At that time, Egal and Johnson opened fire, hitting Nobles three times.
Moore says her investigation has found that Egal and Johnson acted according to protocol and were justified in using deadly force.
Nobles’ family members continue to say the officers had no right to shoot.
