UPDATED: Man Injured in Austin Police Shooting

Domestic disturbance leads to officer-involved shooting

The 23-year-old man shot Tuesday by a veteran Austin Police Department sergeant has been released from the hospital – and released from police custody, according to APD.

According to an updated release from APD, Jawhari Dandre Smith was shot by 17-year police veteran Sgt. Gregg White in the shoulder and face on Tuesday afternoon after White said Smith failed to comply with an order to drop a weapon he was holding.

White responded to a domestic disturbance "with violence" call at the Red Oak Apartments just before 12:30pm on Tuesday. When he approached the area of the complex where the disturbance was allegedly taking place he saw Smith and his girlfriend – reportedly, 19-year-old Rickia Hunt – arguing. Police say White saw a Smith holding a pistol that he then hid behind his back. Smith reportedly yelled to White that it was only a BB gun. White ordered Smith to drop the weapon, but Smith allegedly refused. "Fearing for his life," police said, White shot Smith.

Smith was taken to UMC Brackenridge and has been released, police said Thursday evening. Although originally arrested for aggravated assault, Smith was released from police custody on Wednesday, APD said, "pending further investigation."

Notably, police also said Thursday that the weapon Smith was holding was indeed a BB gun – a Umarex model XBG pellet/BB pistol.

EARLIER: A man involved in a domestic disturbance with his girlfriend at an apartment complex in Northeast Austin was shot by an Austin Police sergeant just before 12:30 pm today after he failed to drop a weapon he tried to hide behind his back, APD Chief Art Acevedo told reporters at the scene.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge by EMS, and is being treated for his injuries. He is expected to survive, Acevedo said.

Acevedo said police received a call about a male adult "involved in disturbance with his girlfriend" at 12:24 pm. A sergeant with 17 years on the force was the first to respond to the call, in the 6300 block of Berkman Drive at the Red Oak Apartments. The sergeant made his way through the complex to the site of the incident and saw a man holding a semi-automatic pistol that the man then put behind his back. The man yelled out that the weapon was just a BB gun, but failed to comply with the sergeant's repeated orders that he drop the weapon. The officer then fired at the man. "The sergeant ordered the suspect several times to drop the weapon, but the suspect didn't comply," Acevedo said.

The girlfriend was not wounded and is speaking with police, Acevedo said. The sergeant, whose name also has not yet been released, has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.

Acevedo said there is "a history" of police calls to this location, and that the department will be assessing in both criminal and administrative investigations only whether the use of deadly force arising from today's call was warranted.

There is no video of the incident, he said, because the sergeant's car was parked away from where the incident took place, but he said there is "very clear audio" of what occurred. It was "all captured on audio," he said.

Got something to say? The Chronicle welcomes opinion pieces on any topic from the community. Submit yours now at austinchronicle.com/opinion.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Austin Police Department
With Cronk Out of The Way, Council Goes For a One-Year Cop Deal
With Cronk Out of The Way, Council Goes For a One-Year Cop Deal
Decision allows voters to consider police oversight in May

Austin Sanders, Feb. 16, 2023

D.A. Drops Charges Against One Officer (of 19) in Eighth Street Shootings
D.A. Drops Charges Against One Officer (of 19) in Eighth Street Shootings
Nicholas Gebhart faced trial in Brad Ayala case

Austin Sanders, Feb. 3, 2023

More Police Shooting
Grand Jury Indicts APD Officer in Shooting of Michael Ramos
Grand Jury Indicts APD Officer in Shooting of Michael Ramos
Christopher Taylor faces first-degree murder charge

Austin Sanders, March 10, 2021

Austin Cop Involved in Fatal Shooting Retires While Investigation Ongoing
Austin Cop Involved in Fatal Shooting Retires While Investigation Ongoing
Criminal inquiry continues, but internal investigation closed

Jordan Smith, Oct. 22, 2013

More by Jordan Smith
'Chrome Underground' Goes Classic Car Hunting
'Chrome Underground' Goes Classic Car Hunting
Motoreum's Yusuf & Antonio talk about the biz and their reality TV debut

May 22, 2014

Eighth Inmate of the Year Set to Die
Eighth Inmate of the Year Set to Die
Eighth inmate of the year set to die

May 9, 2014

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Austin Police Department, APD, officer-involved shooting, police shooting, Art Acevedo, BB gun, Gregg White, Jawhari Dandre Smith

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
NEWSLETTERS
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle