AUSTIN, TX – A hostage situation in Austin, which unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, resulted in three fatalities, including a responding SWAT officer. Additionally, the ordeal left another officer wounded while the suspect was shot dead, as stated by the local authorities.
Austin Chief of Police, Robin Henderson shared details of the incident in a press briefing on Saturday, labeling it as a tragic event for all parties involved. The crisis initiated shortly before 3 a.m., triggered by a desperate 911 caller seeking help from a local residence, claiming she was being stabbed.
According to Henderson, upon responding to the distress call, officers found a victim who had managed to flee the scene, who was promptly transported to a nearby hospital. Within the residence, they were notified of two additional injured victims and the suspect, armed with a knife.
In an attempt to rescue the victims, the officers made an emergency forced entry into the residence, only to face gunfire from the suspect. Following this incident, a SWAT team was dispatched to the situation, arriving shortly after 4 a.m.
The second showdown with the suspect resulted in immediate gunfire, leaving two SWAT officers shot. They were rushed to the hospital where one officer died despite efforts to save him, and the other was reported to be in stable condition. Henderson also confirmed the death of the two victims at the residence, along with the suspect.
This incident marks the first death of an Austin Police Department officer in the line of duty in the past decade. The city’s Mayor Kirk Watson expressed his grief over the loss, publically praying for the families of the fallen and the injured officer.
As a result of multiple officers discharging their firearms during the incident, two investigations will be conducted by the Austin Police Department, a criminal investigation in partnership with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, and an administrative investigation overseen by the Office of Police Oversight.