Austin Police Kill Unarmed 17-Year-Old as Chief Cites 911 Call in Possible Suicide by Police
Updated
Updated · KUT · Jul 24
Austin Police Kill Unarmed 17-Year-Old as Chief Cites 911 Call in Possible Suicide by Police
3 articles · Updated · KUT · Jul 24
Summary
Body-camera video released Friday shows Austin officers repeatedly ordering a 17-year-old to keep his hands up before shooting him after he lifted his shirt and reached toward his waistband.
No gun was found at the Northeast Austin playground; police said a water bottle was tucked into the teen’s waistband, and the initial 911 call reporting a possible gunman came from the teen’s own phone.
The teen, a Black male, was pronounced dead at 4:25 a.m. after officers responded to the Baden Lane park at 3:51 a.m.; the three officers involved were placed on administrative leave.
Chief Lisa Davis said “all points” indicate a possible suicide by police, while local justice advocates disputed that framing and demanded an independent investigation and stronger mental-health crisis response.
APD said criminal and administrative probes are underway, with the department and Travis County prosecutors still treating the publicly released details as preliminary.