An Austin Police officer is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries after being shot in the knee early Thursday morning during a SWAT standoff in North Austin. His injury marks the second non-life-threatening gunshot wound an APD officer has incurred in the past two weeks.
The shooting occurred at an undisclosed location on North Lamar and Morrow Street just before 6am. APD SWAT was executing a search warrant for an 18-year-old Police Chief Art Acevedo said was believed to be “engaged in narcotics trafficking and sales.”
Upon entering, SWAT officers first located the suspect as they were ascending up the location’s stairs; the suspect peeked around a corner with a shotgun in his hands. He fired one shot, hitting the unidentified officer, who Acevedo said did not return fire.
Another officer did fire, the Chief said, missing the suspect. SWAT retreated from the house. At 6:12am, the suspect stepped outside to surrender. APD sent bomb squad robots to clear the location. As of an 8:30am press conference, that’s still under way.
Acevedo said the officer who was shot is currently recuperating at Brackenridge Hospital, and that the officer who fired at the suspect is currently on paid administrative leave, as is standard with all shootings. Acevedo said it’s likely the suspect will be identified later today.
This article appears in April 8 • 2016.