A Man Wielding a Pickax is Allegedly Shot and Killed by Austin, Texas, Police Officers
At approximately 4:33 a.m. on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Austin, Texas, a 46-year-old man who approached police officers with a pickax was allegedly shot and killed. The alleged deadly police-involved shooting happened in the 4800 block of Tanney Street in East Austin, near Springdale Road.
At approximately 4:18 a.m., the Austin Police Department received a call from a man claiming that he had killed his father and brother at the address mentioned above. Several police officers quickly responded and arrived at the home at 4:23 a.m. Contact with the caller was made in the street, and the man was holding a pickax. Police officers are seen in a police video commanding the man to drop his weapon and please drop the pickax. The negotiation continued for about 10 minutes, during which time police officers issued multiple commands for the man to disarm himself. The officers then allegedly drew closer. Non-lethal rounds of impact munitions were fired as the man was approaching the house, but he deflected them with a chair he was holding. Police officers also used an electronic weapon. After that, the man allegedly approached officers with the pickax raised, and five police officers allegedly opened fire. The man who had been holding the pickax was pronounced dead at the scene, and no one else was injured.
Officers had been anxious to go inside the home to find out if anyone needed medical attention, but no one in the home was harmed, according to Chief Brian Manley with the Austin Police Department. He also said the five officers who fired shots have been placed on administrative leave. Pending investigations into the alleged fatal police-involved shooting, the two officers who fired less lethal weapons are also placed on administrative duty. Manley said it appeared a suicide note had been left behind by the deceased suspect.
Family members of the deceased said he had a disability.
As with every post on this website, we are only providing information in this post and do not make any allegation or assertion that anyone acted inappropriately or engaged in misconduct.
–Guest Contributor
smchugh
smchugh