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[Austin APD Press Conference ]
ONE.I'M CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE SERIES OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 5TH, AS WE HAD SO MANY HORRIFIC INCIDENTS OCCUR THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE AUSTIN COMMUNITY THAT HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ALL OF US.
OVER THE COURSE OF THESE INCIDENTS, WE HAD FOUR HOMICIDES IN THE AUSTIN AREA, TWO IN BEXAR COUNTY THAT PRECEDED THE ONES UNBEKNOWNST TO US IN AUSTIN.
AND IN THOSE INCIDENTS IN AUSTIN, WE HAD TWO OFFICERS INJURED AND ONE CIVILIAN INJURED AND ONE CIVILIAN INJURED, UM, WHILE APPREHENDING THE THE SUSPECT, UM, WHEN HE WRECKED OUT, OUT AT, UH, HIGHWAY 45 AND 1826, THE STATUS OF OUR A PD OFFICERS, THEY ARE RECOVERING.
THEY HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL IN ADDITION TO THE CYCLIST THAT WAS STRUCK, UM, FROM GUNFIRE.
HE HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.
THE PERSON INVOLVED IN THE CRASH WAS RELEASED ON SCENE.
I DO HAVE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR BRAVERY AND THEIR DILIGENCE IN ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY OFFERING MY CONDOLENCES TO THE VICTIMS AND THE FAMILIES IN THESE INCIDENTS.
I KNOW THESE ARE TRAGIC INCIDENTS FOR ALL, BUT OUR ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO PURSUING JUSTICE FOR EACH OF YOUR FAMILIES.
I DO NEED TO THANK OUR OFFICERS AND OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS WHO HAVE BEEN HELPING US THROUGHOUT THESE INCIDENTS.
THEY'VE RESPONDED TO AND INVESTIGATED EACH WITH SWIFT VIGILANCE AND PROFESSIONALISM EACH TIME, STARTING WITH OUR AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNIT, OUR ROBBERY UNIT, OUR INTEL UNIT, OUR HOMICIDE UNIT, OUR VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT, OUR AIR OPERATIONS UNIT.
CAVE AND HER TEAM WITH FORENSICS.
SHE'S OUR DIRECTOR OF OUR DEPARTMENT FOR FORENSICS.
CHIEFS NEED CHIEF OF POLICE FOR AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OUR DPS PARTNERS DIRECTOR, DIRECT DIRECTOR, DEPUTY LUC.
VINCENT LUCIANO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
CAPTAIN JEREMIAH RICHARDS AND SARAH MORIANO.
DID I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECT, MA'AM? WITH A TF.
WE ALSO HAD OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS ASSISTING.
I MIGHT HAVE LEFT OFF A COUPLE ON THAT GROUPS, AND FOR THAT I APOLOGIZE.
HOWEVER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE DID OUR DILIGENCE WITH THE LARGE VOLUME OF CALLS THAT WE HAD.
WE EXPANDED A SERIOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES ON EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS THAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT DAY.
OUR TEAMS WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE ENTIRE TIMELINE OF EACH INVESTIGATION FOR YOU TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AND CLEAR PICTURE OF HOW THINGS UNFOLDED AND WHAT WE WERE COLLECTIVELY LOOKING AT AT THE TIME EACH INCIDENT OCCURRED.
AS WE TALK ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS, A FEW THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT OUR PROCESSES TAKE TIME.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE EARLY EVENING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GATHER ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT WAS OF SUBSTANTIVE VALUE TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC FOR A SAFETY ALERT.
HOWEVER, IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE INFORMATION FOR THAT ALERT, THE FINAL OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING OCCURRED AND ALL OF OUR RESOURCES WERE DIVERTED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT INCIDENT.
JUST PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD A CYCLIST THAT HAD BEEN SHOT AND OUR RESOURCES WERE ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE PERSON OF INTEREST.
AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION AT THAT TIME THAT THOSE INCIDENTS WERE RELATED.
THE DESCRIPTION WE WERE WORKING ON THROUGHOUT THE DAY WERE DIFFERENT.
EACH VEHICLE USED WAS DIFFERENT.
SO THE, SO, WHILE IT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED THAT IT WAS OBVIOUS, THERE WAS NO INDICATION BASED ON THE INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME THE INCIDENTS WERE UNFOLDING, THAT THEY WERE RELATED.
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF SNEAD FROM A ISD.
HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
UH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE.
UH, THIS YEAR WE HAVE FACED MANY SERIOUS AND CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN
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OUR COMMUNITIES.THIS SITUATION WAS JUST AS IMPACTFUL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT THAT THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
THE QUICK RESPONSE THAT WAS DEMONSTRATED IS MUCH APPRECIATED DURING THESE UNFORTUNATE AND TRAGIC INCIDENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE SHOOTING AT NORTHEAST EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH.
AS A RESULT OF THE GREAT TEAMWORK, WE WERE ABLE TO PLACE THE CAMPUS ON LOCKDOWN IMMEDIATELY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS.
IN ADDITION, THROUGH THE COLLABORATIVE TEAMWORK BETWEEN THE AUSTIN ISD, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND VARIOUS OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND RESOURCES, IT ALLOWED FOR US TO BRING THIS UNFORTUNATE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS TO AN END.
I WANT TO THANK THOSE HEROES, THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND PLACE THEIR LIVES IN HARM'S WAY EACH DAY TO PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITIES.
MY THOUGHTS, PRAYERS AND CONDOLENCES ARE WITH THOSE OFFICERS AND THOSE FAMILIES WHO EXPERIENCED AND SUFFERED PAIN OR LOSSES.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO CHIEF HENDERSON.
I'D LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE YOU TO EVERYONE THAT WILL BE JOINING ME TODAY, GIVING A BRIEF OUT OF THE SERIES OF TIMELINE AND OVERVIEW OF THE CASE THAT THEY ARE HANDLING.
FIRST I'LL START WITH SERGEANT KOVAC.
HE'LL DO AN INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND LAY INITIAL FINDINGS OUT.
HE WILL COVER THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SHOOTING TIMELINE.
DETECTIVE DEL LUNA, HE WILL FOCUS ON THE DOUBLE HOMICIDE ON SHADY WOOD LANE.
DETECTIVE SPITLER, HE WILL COVER THE SHOOTING OF THE CYCLIST AND DOUBLE HOMICIDE, UM, AND THE OFFICER THAT WAS SHOT ON ASTRAL LOOP.
AND THEN SERGEANT SEXTON WILL CONCLUDE AND DO A WRAP UP OF ALL THE INCIDENTS, STARTING WITH SHADY WOOD ASTRAL LOOP AND THEN WHAT WAS DISCOVERED THROUGH BEAR COUNTY SERGEANT KOVA.
MY NAME IS SERGEANT PETER KOVAC WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HOMICIDE UNIT.
UM, MY NAME IS SPELLED PI DAY.
UM, IT INCLUDED, INCLUDED NUMEROUS CRIMES.
SO START OFF, UM, ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY MALE BORN, UH, MARCH 7TH, 1989, THE AUSTIN
UM, AND IT LASTED IN ADDITION IN EXCESS OF OVER EIGHT HOURS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, MR. JAMES IS CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF CAPITAL MURDER FOR THE MURDERS OF AMERICAN POP BY AGE 32.
SABRINA RAMAN, AGE,
IN ADDITION TO THESE, UH, CHARGES, UH, MR. JAMES IS ALSO CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF FIRST DEGREE FELONY AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON A PEACE OFFICER, IN ADDITION TO ONE DEGREE FELONY AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, UM, FOR THE SHOOTING OF A BICYCLIST, UH, IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
QUICK OVERVIEW OF BACKGROUND ON MR. UH, SHANE JAMES, A SUSPECT OF THIS CASE.
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I LOOK INTO HIS RECORDS THAT SHOWS THAT HE WAS OTHER THAN HONORABLY DISCHARGED, UH, FOR UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT FROM THE US ARMY IN 2015.PRIOR TO THAT, HE HAS SERVED APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AND ACHIEVED, UH, THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THE ONLY OTHER INVOLVEMENT THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD WITH HIM UP UNTIL DECEMBER 5TH WAS, UH, 2018 EMERGENCY DETENTION, UM, IN WHICH HE HAD COME TO AUSTIN TO THE, UH, AS THE, UH, MOSAIC CHURCH, UH, I'M SORRY, MOSAIC CHURCH LOCATED AT 12 6 5, UH, 6 7 5 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ON MARCH 7TH.
UM, THEY HAD CALLED IN SAYING MR. JAMES WAS EXPERIENCING THAT THEY TALKED TO PEOPLE WITH SUICIDAL IDEATIONS.
UM, OFFICERS RESPONDED UP THERE AND TOOK HIM INTO EMERGENCY CUSTODY DUE TO HIM BEING END DANGER TO THE SELF AND OR OTHERS.
UM, UP UNTIL THAT POINT, AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH MR. JAMES.
CONTINUING ALONG, UH, REALLY QUICK, THIS JUST SHOWS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE, UH, OF THE CASE IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER.
UM, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS, UH, THIS, THIS SERIES OF MURDERS IN THE INVESTIGATIONS SPANNED NUMEROUS COUNTIES STARTING IN BEAR COUNTY AND CONTINUING UP HERE TO TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, NUMEROUS INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IT LASTED IN IN EXCESS OF OVER EIGHT HOURS DURING THE INVESTIGATIVE TIME AND THE TIME DURING WHICH THE CRIMES WERE COMMITTED AND INCLUDED OVER SIX INCLUDED SIX MAJOR CRIME SCENES AND NUMEROUS OTHER, UM, SMALLER CRIME SCENES THAT WE HAD TO INVESTIGATE.
UM, THOSE CRIME SCENES INCLUDED 71 0 4 BERGMAN, UH, WHICH IS THE NORTHEAST EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL AT APPROXIMATELY 10:41 AM UH, THAT WAS HANDLED BY OUR AGA ASSAULT UNIT, AND THAT IS THE, UH, THE CASE IN WHICH MR. JAMES IS CHARGED WITH, UH, ONE COUNT OF, UH, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON A PEACE OFFICER FOLLOW.
UH, FOLLOWING THAT, WE ALSO INVESTIGATED THE DOUBLE HOMICIDE THAT OCCURRED AT 73 15 SHADY WOOD DRIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 11:59 AM WHEN THAT CALL CAME IN, UM, THAT CASE WAS INVESTIGATED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HOMICIDE UNIT INITIALLY, AND, UH, THAT IS IN WHICH THE TWO VICTIMS, UH, WERE CHARGED WITH.
HE'S CHARGED WITH CAPITAL MURDER AND THE MURDERS OF EMANUEL POPEYE, AS WELL AS SABRINA ROBIN.
FOLLOWING THAT, THE NEXT CRIME SCENE WAS AT 57 0 1 SLAUGHTER LANE, UM, THAT WAS CALLED IN AT 5:47 PM THAT'S GONNA BE THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT THAT HE IS CHARGED WITH IN PERSON DEGREE FELONY FOR THE SHOOTING OF A BICYCLIST DOWN THERE ON THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
THE NEXT CRIME SCENE THAT WE INVESTIGATED WAS AT FIFTY THREE SEVENTY SIX ASTRAL LOOP.
THIS CALL CAME IN AT APPROXIMATELY 6:49 PM THIS IS ALSO INVESTIGATED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE UNIT IN WHICH THE MURDERS OF CATHERINE AND LAUREN SHORT, UM, OCCURRED AGAIN.
UH, THOSE ARE THE OTHER TWO CAPITAL MURDER, MURDER CHARGES THAT HE IS FACING AT THIS TIME.
UM, IN ADDITION AT THAT SCENE WAS ALSO WHENEVER OFFICERS RESPONDED AND HE ENGAGED POLICE OFFICERS, UM, INJURING ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, AND THAT IS ALSO WHERE HE WAS LOOKING AT ANOTHER CHARGE FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON POLICE OFFICER.
THE, UH, THE INVESTIGATIONS CULMINATED, UH, AFTER HE FLED FROM POLICE AND WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AT, UH, S SH 45, THE INTERSECTION OF S SH 45 AND FM 1826, UM, WHEN SHE WAS QUICKLY APPREHENDED THEREAFTER, 7:10 PM WHENEVER THIS OCCURRED DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION AS OCCURRED AFTER 7:10 PM LATER INTO THAT NIGHT, UH, WE WERE MADE AWARE OF, UM, POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP OF, UH, MR. JAMES TO 64 3 PORT ROYAL DRIVE DOWN IN BEXAR COUNTY.
UM, WE INITIATED A CHECK WELFARE WITH, UH, BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO CONDUCT A CHECK WELFARE DOWN THERE, AND THAT IS WHEN THEY LOCATED THE LAST TWO VICTIMS. UM, HE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH, UH, THEIR CRIMES AT THIS TIME, AND THE INVESTIGATION IN THE EMERGENCY IS STILL ONGOING AT THIS TIME.
I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO, UH, DETECTIVE S AT POLICE TO TALK ABOUT OUR FIRST HAND.
MY NAME'S DETECTIVE BRANDON SOLIS WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNIT NAME IS SPELLED B-R-A-N-D-O-N-S-O-L-I-S AS DETECTIVE KOVAC, I'M SORRY, SERGEANT KOVAC STATED, I'LL BE DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON THE CAMPUS OF NORTHEAST EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:43 AM AUSTIN NINE ONE ONE RECEIVED AN EMERGENCY PHONE CALL STATING THAT AN A IC OFFICER HAD BEEN SHOT AND EMS WAS ON THE WAY.
INITIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO AUSTIN 9 1 1 INDICATED THAT THE INJURED A IC OFFICER WAS LOCATED ON THE GROUNDS OF NELSON FIELD.
HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION WAS CORRECTED, UH, TO INDICATE THAT THE OFFICER HAD ACTUALLY SELF RESCUED HIMSELF AND WAS LOCATED AT THE EMS STATION, LOCATED AT 7,200 PERMAN DRIVE.
THE ISC OFFICER IN QUESTION WAS IDENTIFIED AS SERGEANT VAL BARNES, A 28 YEAR VETERAN OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT, AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SERGEANT BARNES SUSTAINED TWO GUNSHOT
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WOUNDS, ONE TO EACH LEG.UPON ARRIVING AT THE EMS STATION, HE WAS FOUND, UH, TO BE ATTEMPTING TO PUT A TOURNIQUET ON ONE OF HIS WOUNDS.
AUSTIN EMS TRANSPORTED HIM OR, UH, TREATED HIM AND TRANSPORTED HIM IMMEDIATELY TO DEL SEAT MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE THE WOUNDS WERE DETERMINED TO BE NON-LIFE THREATENING.
AT APPROXIMATELY 10:46 AM INFORMATION CONTINUED TO COME INTO AUSTIN 9 1 1 THAT PROVIDED AT LEAST THREE SUSPECT DESCRIPTIONS AND TWO VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS.
BEYOND THOSE DESCRIPTIONS, THE ONLY INFORMATION THAT COULD BE CORROBORATED WAS THAT THE SUSPECT LED THE SCENE FROM NORTH, FROM THE NORTHEAST EARLY COLLEGE CAMPUS, SOUTHBOUND OF THE PARKING LOT ON THE ATHLETIC DRIVE, AND INTO THE AREA OF TWO 90 AND CAM.
AT APPROXIMATELY 10:56 AM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNIT WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT.
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AGGRAVATED A ASSAULT UNIT, IS CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING CRIMES AGAINST PEACE OFFICERS WITHIN THE MENTS OF AUSTIN.
THE AG ASSAULT UNIT RESPONDED, UH, TO THE SCENE AS OF THE AG ASSAULT UNIT WAS RESPONDING AT ABOUT 10:57 AM RESPONDING OFFICERS, UH, THAT WERE HEADED TO THE CAMPUS TO ASSIST LOCATED A SUBJECT AT THE AREA OF US HIGHWAY TWO 90 AND CAMERON.
BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS HAD AT THAT POINT, THAT SUSPECT OR SUBJECT WAS DETAINED.
HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED QUITE QUICKLY THAT THE SUBJECT WAS NOT INVOLVED AND RELEASED IMMEDIATELY AT APPROXIMATELY 11:09 AM THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNION DETECTIVES MADE THE SCENE AND BEGAN COORDINATING WITH OUR A ISD PARTNERS WITH REGARDS TO THE INVESTIGATION.
AT THIS TIME, THERE WERE SEVERAL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT HAD ALREADY DESCENDED ONTO THE CAMPUS AND WERE ASSISTING WITH THE ACTUAL LOCKDOWN AND SECURING OF THE SCHOOL BASED ON SCENE.
THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION, THE FOLLOWING WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE OCCURRED WITH REGARD TO THE SHOOTING OF SERGEANT BARNES.
AT APPROXIMATELY 10:38 AM THE SUSPECT WAS CAPTURED ON A ISD SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ENTERING THE PARKING LOT.
WITNESS CELL PHONE VIDEO WAS PROVIDED TO INVESTIGATORS LATER ON SHOWED THAT APPROXIMATELY 10 40, THE SUBJECT WAS SEEN RUNNING AFTER FIRING THE SHOTS AT SERGEANT BARNES.
THOSE SHOTS WERE BASED ON THE TIMESTAMP, WAS ABOUT 10:41 AM.
SERGEANT BARNES WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, HEADED FOR ATHLETIC DRIVE.
AS SERGEANT BARNES MADE A TURN TO HEAD SOUTHBOUND THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, HE ENCOUNTERED THE SUSPECT, AT WHICH POINT THE SUSPECT WAS STARTLED.
THE SUSPECT IMMEDIATELY PULLED A HANDGUN AND FIRED SEVERAL ROUNDS AT THE PATROL VEHICLE THAT SERGEANT BARNES WAS IN.
BASED ON THE VIOLENCE OF ACTION IMMEDIACY, SERGEANT BARNES WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ACTION WHEN INSTEAD HE EVACUATED HIMSELF FROM THE SITUATION AND DROVE TO THE INVESTIGATION.
AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE SUBJECT WAS LAST SEEN RUNNING SOUTHBOUND THROUGH THE PARKING LOT TOWARDS ATHLETIC DRIVE, AND THEN TOWARDS THE CAMERON AND TWO 90 US TWO 90 HIGHWAY AND CAMERON ROAD.
THE SUSPECT WAS SAID, UH, TO HAVE BRUNS WITH A SMALL GRAY NISSAN, UH, UNKNOWN MAKE, UH, WHICH WAS USED TYPICALLY THE SCENE BASED ON THE DIFFERENT SUSPECT VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS AND SUSPECT DESCRIPTIONS.
THERE WASN'T, UH, ANY CORROBORATIVE INFORMATION AT THE TIME.
HOWEVER, SEVERAL WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO BE SECURED BY A ISD PRIOR TO, UH, THE IOL UNION'S ARRIVAL.
THOSE WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION, WHICH WAS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE MALE OF MUSCULAR BUILD BALD WITH FACIAL HAIR, SIX FOOT TO SIX FOUR.
BETWEEN THE AGE OF 30 AND 40 YEARS OF AGE, THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO PROVIDED BY A SD WAS ABLE TO NARROW DOWN THE VEHICLE DESCRIPTION TO A, A GRAY NISSAN VERSA.
ALSO, ON SCENE, SEVERAL SHELL CASINGS, UH, WERE RECOVERED.
AT THAT POINT, THE INVESTIGATION, THERE WAS NO INFORMATION OR NO INDICATION OF WHAT THE MOTIVE WAS, NOR WAS THERE ANY INDICATION OF WHY THE SUSPECT WAS ON THE CAMPUS ON THE NORTHEAST, UH, EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS.
FROM THIS POINT ON, AGGRAVATED SUBJECT DETECTIVES CONTINUED THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE LATE HOURS AS THE REST OF THIS DEVELOPED.
ONCE THERE WAS ENOUGH INFORMATION DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT ALL THESE CASES, THERE WAS ENOUGH TO CHARGE, UH, THE SUSPECT IN THIS CASE WITH AN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON A PEACE OFFICER FIRST DEGREE FELONY.
AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN TO DETECTIVE, DISCUSS THE NEXT GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M DETECTIVE RANDY DELUNA WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE UNIT.
THE NAME'S SPELLED R-A-N-D-Y-D-E-L-U-N-A, AND I'LL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE INCIDENT ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE.
AT APPROXIMATELY 11:59 AM AUSTIN POLICE RECEIVED A CALL OF A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING WITH A MALE AND A FEMALE VICTIM ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE.
SOON, MULTIPLE CALLS BEGAN COMING IN OF SHOTS FIRED ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE.
AUSTIN POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVED ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE AT 12:04 PM AND LOCATED A MALE VICTIM WITH MULTIPLE GUNSHOT WOUNDS.
MALE VICTIM WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS
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EMMANUEL POPOFF LIFESAVING.LIFESAVING MEASURES WERE ATTEMPTED ON MR. POPOFF, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL WHEN HE WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED.
ON SCENE AT 12:16 PM OFFICERS LOCATED A SECOND VICTIM, SABRINA ROCKMAN, WHO WAS FOUND WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND AT A NEARBY RESIDENCE.
MRS. ROCKMAN WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE SHE SUCCUMBED TO HER WOUND AND WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED.
AT 12:40 PM AUSTIN POLICE HOMICIDE DETECTIVES WERE NOTIFIED AND RESPONDED TO THE SCENE TO INTERVIEW POSSIBLE WITNESSES AND TO CANVAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.
AS THE INVESTIGATION, AS THE INVESTIGATORS CHECKED THE AREA, MANY RESIDENTS WERE NOT AT HOME DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, AND THE VIDEO FOOTAGE THAT COULD BE OBTAINED WAS OF POOR QUALITY.
DETECTIVES RECEIVED VARIOUS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SUSPECT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PERSON OBSERVED ON VIDEO WAS A WITNESS OR A SUSPECT.
AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, DETECTIVES WERE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH MORE RESIDENTS RETURNING HOME FOR THE EVENING, AND WERE ABLE TO FIND BETTER VIDEO FOOTAGE.
BUT WE LEARNED THROUGH THE INITIAL VIDEO REVIEW, WHICH WAS WITHIN MINUTES OF ARRIVING ON SCENE, MRS. ROCKMAN LEFT HER RESIDENCE PUSHING HER INFANT CHILD IN A STROLLER, WALKING SOUTH ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE.
SHORTLY AFTER MR. POPOFF WAS OBSERVED WALKING OUT OF THE SAME RESIDENCE, HEADING NORTH AND OUT OF THE VIEW OF THE CAMERA, MR. PAPAPA HAD BEEN AT THE RESIDENCE SINCE EARLIER IN THE DAY TO HELP THE FAMILY MOVE INTO THEIR NEW HOME.
A SUSPECT WAS OBSERVED ON VIDEO AT THAT TIME, WALKING NORTH ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET IN THE DIRECTION OF WHERE MR. PAPA WAS LAST SEEN.
WALKING, MRS. ROCKMAN WAS THEN VIEWED RUNNING TOWARD THE FRONT DOOR OF A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE WITH A STROLLER.
A JAR SUV APPEARED IN THE VIDEO TRAVELING SOUTH ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.
THE DARK SUV STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE WHERE MS. ROCKMAN AND HER CHILD WERE LAST SEEN.
THE SUSPECT EXITED THE DARK COLORED SUV AND RAN TOWARDS THE FRONT DOOR OF WHERE MS. ROCKMAN WAS AT.
THE SUSPECT IS SEEN ON VIDEO WERE TURNING BACK TO THE DARK COLORED SUV AND LEAVING THE SCENE AT 11:58 PM 11:58 AM THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND LATER REUNITED WITH THE FATHER.
THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, A DARK COLORED SUV WAS IDENTIFIED, THEN SHOWED BELONGING TO MR. POP.
THE SUBJECT VIEWED WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK WHEN MS. ROTHMAN LEFT HER RESIDENCE APPEARED TO MATCH THE SAME SUSPECT EXITING THE DARK COLORED SUV AND APPROACHING HER.
AND NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DETECTIVE.
MY NAME IS DETECTIVE RICHARD SPILLER, AND I WILL BE THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR ON THIS CASE.
THE SPELLING OF MY NAME IS R-I-C-H-A-R-D-S-P-I-T-L-E-R.
AT APPROXIMATELY 5:47 PM A P OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A SHOOTING CALL AT FIVE SEVEN ZERO ONE WEST LAUGHTER LANE.
UPON ARRIVAL, OFFICERS LOCATED A MALE WITH A SINGLE GUNSHOT.
THE VICTIM ADVISED HE WAS CYCLING ON THE SLAUGHTER CREEK TRAIL WHEN SHOT SOMEONE SHOT AT HIM.
THE CYCLIST DESCRIBED THE SUSPECT AS A WHITE MALE WEARING A BURNT ORANGE T-SHIRT, LONG PANTS, AND EITHER A HAT OR A BANDANA AT APPROXIMATELY 5:48 PM AIR ONE ASSIGNED TO THE CALL AND RESPONDED TO THE AREA TO SEARCH FOR THE SUSPECT, BUT NO ONE WAS LOCATED.
AIR ONE STAYED IN THE AREA FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES UNTIL THEY HAD TO REFUEL.
MULTIPLE OFFICERS REMAINED IN THE AREA TO SEARCH FOR THE SUSPECT.
THE CYCLIST WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL TO RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT.
THE LOCATION OF THE SHOOTING WAS NOT INITIALLY LOCATED BY RESPONDING OFFICERS.
BASED ON THE INITIAL DESCRIPTION GIVEN BY THE VICTIM, IT DID NOT APPEAR AS THOUGH THIS INCIDENT WAS RELATED TO THE A ISD OFFICER SHOOTING OR THE DOUBLE HOMICIDE AT 7 3 1 5 SHADE WOOD DRIVE.
AT APPROXIMATELY 6:49 PM A PD OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A BURGLARY IN PROGRESS.
AT 5 3 7 6, OFFICER LU, THE CALLER ADVISED HE REVIEWED A MOTION NOTIFICATION RECEIVED FROM HIS SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND COULD SEE A MALE WEARING A JACKET KICKING IN THE BACK DOOR TO HIS RESIDENCE.
THE CALLER ALSO STATED HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE CURRENTLY AT HOME DUE TO OFFICERS ALREADY BEING IN THE AREA FOR THE PREVIOUS SHOOTING.
THE FIRST OFFICER ARRIVED ON SCENE.
WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF THE CALL BEING RECEIVED, THE
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FIRST OFFICER ON SCENE OBSERVED THE SUSPECT INSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE.THE SUSPECT WAS SEEN BY THAT OFFICER EXITING THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, AND THE OFFICER WENT AROUND THE RESIDENCE TO THE FENCED IN BACKYARD.
AS THE OFFICER ENTERED INTO THE BACKYARD, THE SUSPECT SHOT AT THE OFFICER STRIKING HIM MULTIPLE TIMES, THE SUSPECT RAN TO THE DETACHED GARAGE AND STOLE A HOMEOWNER'S 2015 IN ACURA.
ADDITIONAL OFFICERS WITNESSED THE ACURA DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN THE 11,400 BLOCK OF HIS GARMENT.
OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO INITIATE A TRAFFIC STOP ON THAT VEHICLE, BUT THE SUSPECT REFUSED TO STOP AND A VEHICLE PURSUIT WAS INITIATED.
THE SUSPECT WENT WESTBOUND ON SOUTH HIGHWAY 45 AND ATTEMPTED TO ATTEMPTED TO TURN NORTHBOUND ON FM 1826.
THE SUSPECT LOST CONTROL WHILE TURNING AND CROSSED OVER FM 1826 INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND CRASHED INTO A PASSING MOTORIST.
AS OFFICERS WERE EXITING THEIR VEHICLE, THE SUSPECT IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE STOLEN ACURA AND RAISED HIS HANDS IN THE AIR.
THE SUSPECT WAS COMPLIANT WITH ALL COMMANDS GIVEN BY ARRESTING OFFICERS, AND THE SUSPECT WAS IDENTIFIED AS SHANE JAMES.
THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, THE SUSPECT CRASHED INTO, HAD MINOR INJURIES AND WAS EVALUATED BY EMS ON SCENE.
WHILE THE PURSUIT WAS ONGOING, ADDITIONAL OFFICERS RESPONDED TO 5 3 7 6 OFFICER LOOP TO SEARCH THE RESIDENCE.
UPON ENTERING OFFICERS LOCATED TWO FEMALES WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS TO THEIR PERSON, THE FEMALES WERE IDENTIFIED AS CATHERINE AND LAUREN.
SHORT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE LATER CONFIRMED THE SAME PERSON WHO FORCED ENTRY INTO THE RESIDENCE WAS THE SAME PERSON OFFICERS ARRESTED AFTER THE VEHICLE PROCEED.
SHANE WAS ALSO POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS BEING THE PERSON OBSERVED ON SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON SHADY WOOD DRIVE.
I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO SERGEANT SEXTON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SERGEANT NATHAN SEXTON.
I'M GOING SERGEANT WITH THE HOMICIDE UNIT.
MY SPELLING, UH, OR MY NAME IS N-A-T-H-A-N-S-E-X-T-O-N.
SO JUST TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY, THIS PAST TUESDAY, DECEMBER THE FIFTH, UH, THAT DAY ALONE, WE HAD OVER 50 VIOLENT CRIME CALLS FOR SERVICE BETWEEN 1:00 PM AND MIDNIGHT AFTER 5:00 PM EIGHT OF THOSE CALLS REQUIRED THREE OR MORE UNITS TO RESPOND.
AND YOU CAN SEE A LISTING HERE.
THIS IS JUST A SNIPPET OF SOME OF THE CALLS IN THAT TIMEFRAME, BUT THEY INCLUDE A STABBING WITH THE MACHETE, UH, MULTIPLE GUNS BEING POINTED AT VARIOUS, UH, SUBJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, MALE BEING SHOT AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
SO AS, AS THE DAY IS ROLLING ON AND WE'RE HERE AT THE, AT THE HEADQUARTERS, WE HAVE ALL THESE CALLS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FILTER THROUGH, AS WELL AS FILTER THROUGH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE HAD COMING IN WITH MULTIPLE SUSPECT DESCRIPTIONS.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT WAS A LITTLE CHAOTIC THAT DAY.
WE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY COMMONALITIES OR A A COMMON SUSPECT OR DESCRIPTION FROM ANY OF THE SCENE.
UH, VARIOUS, UH, INVESTIGATIVE UNITS WERE WORKING ON THIS.
AS WE'VE MENTIONED, WE HAD OUR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNIT, ALL THE UNITS THAT THE CHIEF HAD MENTIONED, WHICH CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT HAVING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN UNITS AND JURISDICTIONS AND OTHER AGENCIES.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS TO OCCUR, UH, IN THE SAME DAY AND FOR THEM TO NOT BE LINKED.
UH, THAT DAY, MULTIPLE UNITS HAD SPENT, UH, TIME GOING FROM DOOR TO DOOR FOR RESIDENCES AND FOR BUSINESS TO BUSINESS AT THE, UH, A ISD SCENE AND ALSO AT SHADY WOOD AT THE FIRST OF A HOMICIDE, ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE, UH, ANY BETTER, UH, FILM FOOTAGE, SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, STILL PHOTOS THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY FIND.
AS DETECTIVE DELUNA HAD MENTIONED, WE WERE ABLE TO INITIALLY FIND A VIDEO.
IT'S KIND OF BASICALLY SHOWED WHAT HAPPENED, BUT IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE ANY SORT OF IDENTIFICATION ON THE SUSPECT.
IT WASN'T UNTIL MUCH LATER IN THE, UH, THE EVENING WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO, TO GET THAT FOOTAGE.
UM, THERE HAD BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO PUT TOGETHER SURVEILLANCE VIDEO AND STILL IMAGES WHEN WE DID GET IT TO PUT THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, AS THAT WAS BEING PUT TOGETHER, WE WERE NOTIFIED OF THE POLICE CHASE AND IT CRASHING OUT, AND WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO, UH, PULL THIS UP AND LIVE STREAM OUT FROM BODY CAMERAS FROM THE OFFICERS AND IDENTIFY THAT HE WAS WEARING THE EXACT SAME CLOTHING FIT, THE EXACT SAME DESCRIPTION AS THE FOOTAGE THAT WE HAD JUST RECEIVED.
NOT, NOT VERY LONG, UH, BEFORE THAT, UH, CRASH.
AT THAT POINT, WE TRANSITIONED THIS TO, TO A PRESS RELEASE TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS ALL THE EVENTS OF THE DAY, UH, 'CAUSE THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF THEM WE HAD TO PIECE TOGETHER.
UM, AND WE STILL CONTINUED TO CANVAS ACROSS TOWN TRYING TO FIND VIDEO EVIDENCE AND OTHER EVIDENCE IN GENERAL TO INCLUDE TRYING TO LOCATE THOSE SUSPECT VEHICLES TO INCLUDE THE VERSA.
[00:30:01]
LOCATED AT 5,800 WESLEY AND CANNON.UH, AND THAT WAS AT 8:00 PM THE NISSAN VERSA WAS LOCATED AT 10:40 PM AT THE ACADEMY NEARBY.
UH, SO IT APPEARED HE HAD BASICALLY DUMPED THE VEHICLE AND WALKED WITHIN A MILE OR TWO OF THAT AREA TO, TO C COMMIT EACH DOUBLE HOMICIDE, UH, AS SOON AS HE WAS IDENTIFIED.
AFTER THAT CRASH, ARE WE ABLE TO GET A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION FOR SHANE JAMES? UM, OUR INTEL UNIT LED THAT, UH, RESEARCH TRYING TO IMMEDIATELY FIND, UH, FAMILY OF JAMES TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYONE WE COULD DO TO CHECK WELFARE FOR, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE INCIDENTS OF THE DAY AND HOW MANY VIOLENT CRIMES AND BRUTAL MURDERS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED THAT DAY.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT THE BEAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SHORTLY AFTER JAMES IDENTIFICATION.
THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IN AND CALL FOR SERVICE AT APPROXIMATELY 7:43 PM IN BEXAR COUNTY.
UH, IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER THIS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CALL US BACK TO LET US KNOW THEY HAD LOCATED TWO SUBJECTS INSIDE THE RESIDENCE, DECEASED.
UH, WE LATER ON DISCOVERED THE PURCHASE OF, UH, THE FIREARM THAT HAD BEEN USED, AND IT WAS MADE THROUGH A PRIVATE PARTY SALE BACK ON JULY THE SECOND, 2022.
UH, JUST FOR SOME BACKGROUND, IT WAS NOT UNTIL FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE EIGHTH THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER.
EVERY SINGLE SCENE BALLISTICALLY, UH, MATCHING EVERY SCENE TO INCLUDE PORT ROYAL BURTMAN, SHADY WOOD SLAUGHTER LANE, AND AUSTRIA.
AND THAT SAME DAY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE EIGHTH, IS THE DAY THAT THE REST OF THE CHARGES WERE FILED TO MAKE ALL SEVEN CHARGES, UH, RECORDS AVAILABLE SHOW.
THIS IS THE MOST MURDERS COMMITTED IN AUSTIN BY ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL SINCE 1991.
WE WANNA THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
IT CAN OFTEN TAKE DAYS OR WEEKS TO TRY TO PIECE TOGETHER INFORMATION COMING IN FROM VARIOUS SOURCES WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE AGENCIES, DIFFERENT UNITS INVESTIGATING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CRIMES.
UH, AND I REALLY COMMEND ALL OUR INVESTIGATORS AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND HAVING THAT COMMUNICATION TO PUT IT TOGETHER IN THE SAME DAY WITHIN EIGHT HOURS.
UH, THE DILIGENCE OF THESE INVESTIGATORS IS WHAT LED US TO THE, UH, IDENTIFICATION AND ARREST OF SHANE JAMES IN THIS CASE.
THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO TURN BACK OVER TO CHIEF HENDERSON.
I DO WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR PUTTING THE TIMELINE TOGETHER.
I DON'T DO KNOW THAT THAT WAS A, UH, QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEARLY OUTLINED THE PUBLIC, THE EXACT SERIES OF TIMELINE, WHAT WE KNEW AT WHAT TIME, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
PLEASE KNOW THAT EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH YOU HERE TODAY GIVES A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW EACH A PD UNIT AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS WORKS SWIFTLY AND COLLABORATIVELY TO IDENTIFY THE SUSPECT AND TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY WITH THE SPORADIC NATURE OF HOW THESE INCIDENTS UNFOLDED, THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT IT TAKES TO CANVAS A SCENE, GATHER INFORMATION, AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OCCURRED, HOW QUICKLY OUR TEAMS WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND BRING RESOLUTE AS SOON AS WE HAVE TOOK THE SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY IS IMPRESSIVE.
IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE TRAGEDIES, WE WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO PUT OUT INFORMATION JUST TO, BECAUSE OF THE SHEER BREADTH AND SCOPE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD LEARNED IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BRING HARM TO THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE EXCELLENT RESPONSE TIMES TO EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS.
EVEN IN THE MIDST OF OUR STAFFING CRISIS, OUR OFFICERS OUR COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL WORK OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY DESERVES.
IT WAS BACKFILL OFFICERS WHO WERE THE INITIAL RESPONDERS TO THE FINAL CALL ON OSTRO LOOP WHO ARRIVED IN JUST OVER A MINUTE, ONE MINUTE OF THE CALL BEING DISPATCHED AND LIKELY PREVENTED MORE HARM TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF OUR OFFICERS AND OUR DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE, AGAIN, CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THESE VICTIMS, AND I THANK ALL OF OUR HEROES THAT PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY SINGLE DAY TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
I WILL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU TALKED BEFORE AN A PD HAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY ALERTS WEREN'T SENT OUT, BUT THERE'S STILL MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO I KNOW SOME VICTIM FAMILIES
[00:35:01]
THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH THAT ARE UPSET THAT NO ALERT WAS PUT OUT.AND SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO KIND OF RESPOND TO, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SAYING THAT IT'S INSUFFICIENT, THAT NOTHING IS PUT OUT.
AND I WAS ALSO CURIOUS, WHAT ACTIONS ARE Y'ALL TAKING, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY CONSIDERING TO CHANGE HOW ALERTS ARE SENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC? YES, FOR THAT QUESTION, PLEASE NOTE, AS STATED AS WE WENT THROUGH THE TIMELINE, IT WAS UNCLEAR AS TO A DESCRIPTION THAT COULD BE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD BE OF USE, IF YOU WILL.
JUST BECAUSE WE HAD VARYING DESCRIPTIONS FROM THE INITIAL INCIDENT.
EVEN FROM THE INITIAL INCIDENTS, THERE WERE THREE, APPROXIMATELY THREE DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE, THAT WE WERE PROVIDED AND WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO COMMUNICATE SOMETHING TO THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD BE OF, OF VALUE.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND, SINCE THIS INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED, WE HAVE ALREADY HAD MEETINGS WITH, UH, WITH SALLY HERNANDEZ, WITH TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, ALSO WITH CHIEF'S NEED ON WORKING WITH COLLABORATING ON HOW, IF THERE IS SOMETHING TO PUT OUT, WHICH IS THE APPROPRIATE ENTITY AT WHAT AND AT WHAT, WHAT TIME CHIEF, I'M SORRY.
UM, JUST KIND OF PIGGYBACKING OFF OF THAT, IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE AFFIDAVIT YOU SAID FOR THE FIRST INCIDENT, AT SOME POINT YOU REALIZED THAT KIDS STUDENTS HAD VIDEOS, THAT THEY RECORDED SOMETHING AND THERE WAS ALSO A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.
AND FROM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO A STILL PHOTO.
CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT ONE, WHEN THAT VIDEO WAS PROVIDED AND TWO, 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT QUALITY OF THE VIDEOS.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHY THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN PUT OUT THAT WOULD'VE KIND OF MAYBE HELPED WITH THE DESCRIPTION? CORRECT.
AND I'LL HAVE TO PASS THAT TO ONE OF THE INVESTIGATORS WHO HAS DETECTIVES.
SO, TO YOUR QUESTION, AT THAT POINT IN THE INVESTIGATION, THE VIDEO WASN'T OF ENOUGH SUBSTANCE TO WHERE WE HAD A LICENSE PLATE TO PROVIDE, UM, TO ANYBODY.
AND THE ACTUAL DEPICTION OF THE SUSPECT WAS FROM THE BACK.
IN NO CASE, THAT COUPLED WITH THE THREE DIFFERENT, THREE PLUS DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS WE'VE GOT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PUT OUT ANY SUBSTANTIVE, UH, INFORMATION, UH, TO THE CHAINS OF COMMAND TO PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN HOW THIS IS HANDLED? BECAUSE IT WAS AT A SCHOOL, I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN SO MUCH CONCERN OVER SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN PARTICULAR, WE KNOW THE SUSPECT LEFT AFTER SHOOTING AT SERGEANT BARNES, BUT IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN HOW THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED JUST BECAUSE OF WHO WAS THERE AT THE SCHOOL? NO, AT THAT POINT, BASED ON THE RESOURCES WE HAD AT THE TIME PRIOR TO SERGEANT BARNES BEING SHOT, UM, WE DIDN'T SIT HERE AND SAY WHAT HE HAD A BODY CAM WE HAD, UM, IN-CAR VIDEO.
UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE TIME THAT SERGEANT BARNES MADE CONTACT WITH THE SUSPECT, THE SUSPECT'S VIOLENCE OF ACTION PREVENTED SERGEANT BARNES FROM REACTING, WHICH THERE WAS NO ACTIVATION OF A BODY-WORN CAMERA.
THERE WAS NO ACTIVATION OF IN-CAR CAMERA.
THE CAMERAS THAT WE HAD ON CAMPUS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO US BY OUR A SD PARTNERS ONLY GAVE US THAT PROPORTION TO WORK.
AND WE WERE EVEN LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THE STUDENTS KEPT THEIR WITTS ABOUT THEM TO EVEN RECORD ON THEIR VIDEO CELL PHONE TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT LITTLE INFORMATION BASED ON EVERYTHING WE HAD AVAILABLE TO US.
THAT WAS, I THINK THAT WAS THE BEST THAT WE WE COULD DO AT THE TIME.
WHILE YOU'RE UP HERE, ONE MORE QUESTION.
SO WE KNOW THE STUDENTS WERE THERE, WE KNOW THERE WAS ANOTHER EMPLOYEE THERE.
WERE THEY OUT IN THE PARKING LOT OR WERE THEY INSIDE THE SCHOOL? WE KNOW THAT SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE A GATE.
ARE WE TALKING AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING OR? YES.
AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING, UH, BASED ON OUR INVESTIGATION, THE STUDENTS WERE OUT IN THE PARKING LOT, UM, WHEN IT OCCURRED.
UM, HOWEVER, DUE THE SHOCK OF THE INCIDENT, UM, THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE MUCH MORE INFORMATION THAN WHAT WE GOT.
WHAT'S IN THE INVESTIGATION? DETECTIVE ALI? IT WAS SEEMED TO, AN AFFIDAVIT THAT WAS RELEASED TODAY, UH, A STILL PHOTO FROM SHADY WOOD WAS SHOWN TO SERGEANT BARNES AND HE WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SUSPECT.
AT WHAT POINT WERE THOSE TWO INCIDENTS CONNECTED? THAT WASN'T, THAT CONNECTION WASN'T MADE UNTIL LATE THE EVENING HOURS WHEN WE HAD MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US.
THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT KNOWN AT THE TIME THAT THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WAS INVESTIGATING THE SHOOTING OF SERGEANT MORRIS.
SO EVEN THOUGH THERE WASN'T A CLEAR SUSPECT DESCRIPTION AT FIRST, COULDN'T AN ALERT HAVE GONE OUT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE WAS A POLICE SHOOTING SUSPECT IN THE AREA? UH, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANTIVE OR CORROBORATED INFORMATION THAT WOULD'VE WENT THAT A DISSERVICE TO NOT ONLY OUR INVESTIGATION, BUT I THINK TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE, UH, WHEN YOU PROVIDE INFORMATION ISN'T CORROBORATED, IT'S JUST GONNA, IT'S GONNA BACKLOG US.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND MORE TIME TRYING TO FISH ON WHAT ISN'T LEGITIMATE AS OPPOSED TO PUT DOWN INFORMATION THAT IS CORRECT AND CORROBORATIVE THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP THE INVESTIGATION AND NOT DETER US.
AT SOME POINT BETWEEN SADIE WOOD DRIVE SHOOTING AND THE BIKER SHOOTING, THERE'S A BIG CHUNK OF TIME MISSING.
DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING IN BETWEEN THAT TIME? THAT ISN'T MY PART OF THE INVESTIGATION.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS DOING.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, WHEN HE WAS FOUND, HE HAD A PHONE ON HIM.
SO THERE'S APPROXIMATELY SIX HOURS AT TIME THAT ARE UNACCOUNTED FOR.
[00:40:01]
HOW WERE OFFICERS COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER DURING THAT TIME? UH, JUST ABOUT PHONE CALLS, GOING BACK AND FORTH TO PEOPLE AT VARIOUS SCENES.GOING TO, LIKE I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, GOING DOOR, DOOR TO DOOR.
UH, LOT OF FOLKS BACK HERE AT THE HEADQUARTERS, COUNTY COORDINATING.
AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT UNITS AND AGENCIES, BUT, UH, LOTS OF PHONE CALLS BEING MADE BACK AND FORTH.
DID I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THE CHIEF SAID YOU WERE PREPARING, PREPARING A PRESS RELEASE IN THAT TIME, AND THEN THE SHOOTING ON WESTWATER LAND DIVERTED THOSE RESOURCES YOU WERE PREPARING TO MAKE A STATEMENT? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
SO IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE A STAFFING ISSUE? IF THERE HAD BEEN MORE PEOPLE AT AUSTIN POLICE, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO NO, UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS JUST THE TIMELINESS OF EVERYTHING.
BY THE TIME WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, SERGEANT BARNES'S IDENTIFICATION, UH, AND GET USABLE PHOTO AND VIDEOS TO BE ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING OUT, UM, IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT DURING THE INVESTIGATION THERE WERE MULTIPLE THEORIES THAT THIS WAS POTENTIALLY TARGETED, THAT THE FIRST VICTIM WAS TARGETED AND THAT THESE WERE NOT RANDOM ATTACKS, UM, WHICH WOULD'VE LED THE INVESTIGATION IN A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT WAY.
UH, THIS PERSON HAS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED THAT FAMILY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD'VE POTENTIALLY CHANGED THE APPROACH, BUT WE, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE RANDOM, UH, UNTIL MUCH LATER HAD HE SAID A MOTIVE NO CHOSE NOT.
WHAT CAN Y'ALL SAY ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF THE, THE GUN FROM THE PURCHASE BY THE SUSPECT? CORRECT.
AND IN THAT CASE, WHEN IT'S A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL SALE, UM, THERE'S JUST LESS CHECKS ESSENTIALLY AND ONE INDIVIDUAL SELLING IT TO THE OTHER.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE 2018 INCIDENT WITH DEPUTY? UH, JUST WHAT SERGEANT KOVAC HAD MENTIONED THAT HE TRAVELED UP HERE FROM THE SAN ANTONIO AREA AND GONE TO A CHURCH WHERE HE ENDED UP, UH, GETTING COMMITTED.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT YOU GUYS ARE EVALUATING YOUR OWN PROCESS, HOW YOU DECIDE WHEN AN ALERT NEEDS TO COME OUT, WE KNOW THERE ARE LAWS THAT ARE PASSED THAT KIND OF DETERMINE THE GUARDRAILS ON WHEN YOU CAN REQUEST THIS FROM DPS.
ARE THERE, BASED ON THIS SITUATION, ANY CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST TO MAKE THIS MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE HELPFUL TO YOU ALL BASED ON THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT LAW? THE THRESHOLDS WERE NOT MET IN ORDER TO INSTITUTE THAT TYPE OF ALERT.
AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL INCIDENT, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AN ONGOING THREAT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND AS STATED, IT WASN'T UNTIL HOURS LATER THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TIE THAT SAME SUSPECT TO THAT INCIDENT.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU GUYS TIED IT TOGETHER, LIKE ROUGHLY WHAT TIME THAT WAS IN THE EVENING TIME, EVENING ON THE SAME DAY.
AND CHIEF, YOU MENTIONED BEING SATISFIED WITH POLICE RESPONSE TIMES.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS EXPERIENCING BEHIND THE SCENES? GIVEN THE STAFFING CONSTRAINTS? DID A PD STAFFING CHALLENGES AFFECT RESPONSE TO ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS? IN THESE INCIDENTS? IT DOES NOT APPEAR.
SO WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF A STAFFING CRISIS, BUT LIKE I SAID, UM, THE PROFESSIONAL NATURE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS THAT WORK HERE, THEY, UM, THEY POWER, POWER THROUGH EVEN THOUGH WE ARE A CRITICAL STAFFING LEVEL.
SO, SO AGAIN, I DO WANNA COME IN MY OFFICERS, OUR BACKFIELD OFFICERS AND OUR DETECTIVES, UM, AND EVERYBODY THAT WORKED SO FAR, UM, DEDICATION AND, AND VIGILANCE IS, IS IMPRESSIVE.
UH, DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT DAY, BEAR COUNTY WAS PRETTY CRITICAL OF YOU GUYS JUST KIND OF SAYING THAT YOU GUYS WEREN'T BEING TRANSPARENT, DO YOU, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT? AND HOW'S THE RELATIONSHIP WORKING CONTINUED BETWEEN NOW? YES, MA'AM.
PLEASE NOTE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED IN AUSTIN, LIKE I SAID, WE WERE UNAWARE OF WHO THE SUSPECT WAS OR THAT HE EVEN HAD CONNECTIONS TO BEAR COUNTY.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER THE SUSPECT WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, IDENTIFIED WHO HE WAS, AND IT WAS THERE WITH THE FORESIGHT OF OUR DETECTIVES WHO SAID, WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO A WELFARE CHECK.
AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT IT WAS DISCOVERED, UM, THAT THERE WERE TWO DECEASED PERSONS IN BEXAR COUNTY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUSPECT TAKING CUSTODY.
WE'LL TAKE TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
WHEN IT COMES TO SERGEANT BARNES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEFS KNEW THE PERSON THAT ASK THIS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SERGEANT BARNES, WE KNOW HE WAS SHOT IN BOTH LEGS AND THEN SELF EVACUATED.
UM, WHAT WAS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HIM? WE KNOW HE'S JUST KIND OF A, A, HE'S A ROVING, UM, OFFICER SUPERVISING.
WHAT WAS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HIM AND THE OTHER OFFICERS AT THE SCHOOL WHO WERE NOW ON LOCKDOWN AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON? I NEED TO MAKE YOU, YOUR HONOR, UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? YEAH.
WHEN, WHEN HE TOOK ON FIRE AND WAS SHOT IN BOTH LEGS AND THEN HAD TO SELF EVACUATE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE HE WAS GOT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, WHAT WAS HIS COMMUNICATION TO THE OFFICERS STATIONED AT THE SCHOOL AT THAT TIME? UH, THE COMMUNICATION THAT HE HAD GIVEN, UM, CAME OUT THAT OFFICERS DOWN, OFFICER DOWN OFFICER NEEDS ASSISTANCE OFFICER HAW.
UH, THAT WAS THE LAST COMMUNICATION THAT I RECALL HEARING, UH, SERGEANT BOND'S, UH, GIVE.
THERE WERE OUR OFFICERS THAT RESPONDED TO THE M MSS STATION WHERE HE SELF EVACUATED AND STARTED ADMINISTERING FIRST AID, UH, PLACING TOURNIQUETS ON.
THEY HAD TO PLACE A SECOND TOURNIQUET
[00:45:01]
ON BECAUSE IT WAS, UH, EXCESSIVE BLEEDING AT THE TIME.UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS BEING EXCHANGED AT THAT POINT IN POINT IN TIME.
THEY WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT SAVING HIS LIFE.
IS THERE ANYTHING, YOU CAN TALK TO US, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE DEALING WITH NEW SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TALK TO US ABOUT HOW THIS SITUATION, AS YOU ALL HAVE REFLECTED, IF, ARE Y'ALL MAKING ANY CHANGES? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU FIND TUNED AFTER DEALING WITH THIS SITUATION? WELL, AS, AS YOU KNOW, AND YOU POINTED OUT, OBVIOUSLY, WE, WE DON'T HAVE PRISON GATES UP AROUND OUR SCHOOLS.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S AN OPEN, IT'S AN OPEN CAMPUS CAMPUS CONCEPT.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE PEOPLE, THIS INDIVIDUAL, LIKE THIS INDIVIDUAL JUST WALK ONTO CAMPUS.
UH, WE ASK OUR OFFICERS TO BE VIGILANT, UM, ON THE PERIMETERS OF THEIR CAMPUS.
UH, WE USE, UH, VIDEO CAMERAS WHEN POSSIBLE TO TRY AND MONITOR, UH, THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN AND AROUND THE CAMPUS.
SO, UH, NOTHING SPECIFIC AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT.
CHIEF FOR YOU, DO YOU HAVE FINAL QUESTIONS? OH, I WAS GONNA SAY, DO YOU GUYS PLAN A REALLY SAFE VIDEO FOR ANY OF THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION? SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SURE.