Austin Authorities Identify Suspect in Officer Involved Shooting

Incident Details

31-year-old Avelino Medel II, was identified as the man who was shot by an Austin police officer at an apartment complex in Southwest Austin. The incident which occurred early Saturday morning left the suspect with non-life-threatening injuries. He was hospitalized immediately following the episode and released the following day.

According to Austin Police Department, the dispatchers received a call at 1:56 a.m. about a disturbance at the Cliffs at Barton Creek at 3050 Tamarron Blvd, situated just across from the Barton Creek Square Mall. The caller reported hearing a physical disturbance emanating from an apartment.

Officers Respond

Officers arrived at approximately 2:06 a.m. and set about trying to locate the source of the disturbance. The officers discovered the apartment and through a sliding glass door in the rear patio area, they saw two men involved in an altercation.

The officers approached the front door and one knocked, announcing themselves as “Austin police”. Within minutes, one of the officers stationed at the rear patio door noticed one of the men, later identified as Medel, approaching the front door with a firearm in his hand. The officer immediately responded by shouting ‘gun, gun, gun,’ and discharged his service weapon, striking Medel.

Immediate Aftermath

Medel collapsed onto the ground and the officers present issued verbal commands for him to raise his hands. Upon entering the apartment, they discovered the other involved party. Medel was then apprehended and received immediate first aid from the officers prior to his hospitalization. Medel’s gun was found near where he fell, according to the Austin Police Department reports.

Officer Placed on Administrative Duty

The officer who fired his weapon had been serving with the Austin Police Department for seven months and has since been placed on administrative duty. The incident was recorded by the officers’ body-worn cameras and the department’s policy dictates that this video footage will be released within ten business days.

Investigation Underway

The Austin Police Department is now conducting two concurrent investigations into the incident. The criminal investigation will be done by the APD Special Investigations Unit in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. At the same time, an Administrative Investigation will be conducted by the APD Internal Affairs Unit, under the supervision of the Office of Police Oversight.

Seeking Information

The Austin Police Department’s Special Investigation Unit is actively seeking information related to this incident. They have requested anyone with relevant information to call their office directly or to submit tips anonymously online.