4 dead, including police officer and suspect, in south Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One Austin police officer was killed, and another officer was injured in south Austin Saturday morning, according to Austin officials.

The Austin Police Department said it responded to a call for a stabbing in the 9300 block of Bernoulli Drive at 2:49 a.m.

Sources said officers entered a house to free hostages when the suspect shot at the officers. One officer was killed, and another was shot in the shoulder.

Sources said multiple shots were fired by other SWAT members, and those officers were now being processed at a police substation.

According to a city council message board, the officer-involved shooting happened at about 4:10 a.m.

APD held a procession for the fallen officer from Dell Seton Medical Center to the medical examiner’s office.

APD Interim Chief Robin Henderson said the department is not identifying the officers involved at this time. The injured officer is in stable condition, Henderson said at a press conference.

According to a message sent to councilmembers, Mayor Kirk Watson said there were two dead civilians found in the house where the incident occurred.

“The suspect was shot and was deceased at the scene,” Watson said.

“We rely on brave people who are in harm’s way when they are serving us. We should never lose sight of that. This event jarringly brings home that truth. The danger and potential loss is not theoretical — it’s very, very real,” Watson said in a statement.

According to the Austin Police Association memorial website, this is the first time an officer was shot and killed on duty since 2012. Since then, six other officers have died due to crashes or COVID-19.

This was the third officer shot and killed in the line of duty in 45 years, according to a law enforcement source.

Timeline of events, according to APD

2:49 a.m.: 911 receives a call requesting help. The caller said somebody was stabbing her.

2:57 a.m.: First APD officers arrived on the scene to a shooting/stabbing hotshot call. The officers began to gather additional information. Officers were also told there were two other people injured inside the residence with the suspect. A third victim escaped and was found by law enforcement.

3 a.m.: Officers forced entry into the residence to rescue the two victims.

3:01 a.m.: As the officers entered, they were shot at by the suspect. The officers backed out of the residence and did not return fire.

3:06 a.m.: Because the suspect was armed, barricaded inside a residence and had two hostages, SWAT was called out to the scene.

4:11 a.m.: SWAT officers arrived on the scene and forced entry into the residence a second time to rescue the victims.

4:15 a.m.: As SWAT officers entered, the suspect immediately fired his gun at the officers, and the officers the SWAT officers returned fire. During the exchange of gunfire, two officers were shot. The two officers were taken to the hospital. The suspect died from his injuries at the scene.