AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A man is dead after reportedly pointing a gun at Austin Police officers in a North Austin apartment complex.
On Wednesday, APD officials confirmed the suspect - who has not yet been identified - was armed with a BB gun. Earlier, officers believed the man was armed with what appeared to be a rifle.
APD interim chief Robin Henderson said Tuesday afternoon that the incident began just after 1:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of East Howard Lane, near Dessau Road.
911 dispatchers received a call reporting the man firing a gun in the parking lot. Officers arrived on the scene a few minutes later; Henderson said one of the officers reported over the radio that the suspect pointed what appeared to be a rifle at them.
The two officers on the scene exited their vehicles and took cover. Henderson said the suspect yelled at officers, calling on them to shoot him; the officers continued to give commands to the man to drop his weapon.
Henderson said Tuesday that one of the officers noted that he was unsure if the man had a rifle or a BB gun.
About a minute later, one of the officers confirmed over the radio that shots had been fired and the suspect was down. Despite life-saving efforts from officers and EMS medics, the suspect was pronounced deceased at 1:48 p.m.
Henderson said the officer who fired his weapon has four and a half years of service with the department. Per standard protocol, he'll be placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of two concurrent investigations into the incident.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call APD's Special Investigations Unit at (512) 974-8640.
