Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Austin Police Department Releases Body Cam Footage of Officer-Involved Shooting on E. 6th Street

AUSTIN, Texas –

The Austin Police Department (APD) has recently made public the body camera footage from the officer-involved shooting that took place on E. 6th Street in mid-December. The release of this footage comes after one man, identified by police as 29-year-old Trei Hernandez, was fatally shot by police in the 200 block of E. 6th Street on December 16. The incident also resulted in three bystanders being injured, one of whom is currently in critical condition.

According to APD, the three officers involved in the shooting have been identified as Det. Christopher Bell, who has served with the APD for 11 years, SPO Thomas Childress, who has served for 9 years, and SPO Bradley Smith, who has served for 13 years. As per APD protocol, all three officers have been placed on administrative leave. Two additional officers at the scene did not discharge their weapons, but their body camera footage has also been released by APD.

The materials released by APD on their YouTube channel include comprehensive footage of the officers’ actions during the incident. However, APD has advised viewer discretion due to the graphic content and language contained in the footage.

Currently, two separate investigations are being conducted into the incident. The APD Special Investigations Unit, in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, is conducting a criminal investigation, while the APD Internal Affairs Unit, overseen by the Office of Police Oversight, is conducting an administrative investigation.

If anyone has any information regarding the incident, they are encouraged to contact APD’s Special Investigation Unit at (512) 974-6840 or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at austincrimestoppers.org.

Details of the Incident on December 16

APD has provided a timeline of events for the night of December 16:

11:52 p.m.: Uniformed officers assigned to the 6th Street patrol area were approached by a person who informed them about an individual attempting to enter a bar with a firearm, which is a violation of Texas Penal Code section 46.03, Places Weapons Prohibited.

Less than a minute later, officers arrived at the Soho Lounge and Gnar Bar. As they approached the entrance, an employee of the bar denied entry to the male suspect, later identified as Hernandez. Hernandez then moved away from the doorway and stood near an adjacent window.

The bar employee informed the officers that Hernandez refused to be searched before entering the bar, stating, “He can’t get in. He’s got a weapon on him.”

11:54 p.m.: The officers approached Hernandez, who suddenly drew a firearm from his front waistband and pointed it towards both the officers and innocent bystanders. In response, the three officers discharged their Department-approved firearms, and Hernandez also fired his weapon.

12:02 a.m.: After sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene.

Three bystanders were injured during the incident and were transported to the hospital, one with serious injuries and two with non-life-threatening injuries. No APD officers were injured in the incident. The ongoing investigation aims to determine whether Hernandez or the officers caused the injuries sustained by the bystanders.

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