AUSTIN, Texas — On Wednesday, the Austin Police Department (APD) released body camera footage and police radio audio from a shooting on East Sixth Street in mid-December.
Police say shortly before midnight on Dec. 16, officers assigned to the Sixth Street patrol area were approached by someone who said a person was trying to get inside a bar with a gun. APD said the officers arrived at the bar, located in the 200 block of East Sixth Street, and as they approached, a bar employee denied entry to the man trying to get in.
APD said the suspect was later identified as 29-year-old Trei Hernandez. According to police, Hernandez moved away from the doorway to a nearby window and the bar employee told the officers that Hernandez did not want to be searched before entering the bar. The employee said Hernandez wasn't allowed inside because he had a weapon on him.
APD said as officers approached Hernandez, he pulled out his gun and pointed it in the direction of the officers and bystanders. Three officers fired at Hernandez and he fired his gun as well, according to APD.
The department said Hernandez was shot multiple times and died at the scene.
Three other people were injured in the incident and were transported to a hospital. One had serious injuries, and the other two had non-life-threatening injuries. APD said its Special Investigations Unit is working to determine whose injuries were caused by the suspect or by the police officers.
The video and audio were released on APD's YouTube page. Warning: The videos contain graphic content and language that some may find disturbing.
The videos include security footage of the incident, as well as body-worn camera footage from three officers.
The three officers who fired their guns have been identified as Det. Christopher Bell, who has 11 years of service with the department; Senior Police Officer Thomas Childress, who has nine years of service with the department; and Senior Police Officer Bradley Smith, who has 13 years of service with the department.
Video released on Wednesday includes body camera footage from Bell, as well as body camera footage from two officers who did not fire their weapons – Cpl. Anthony Allegretti and Senior Police Officer Chad Golding.
APD said the videos from Allegretti and Golding were included because, "Their body-worn camera videos offer a clearer visual of the sequence of events that transpired."
On Dec. 18, surveillance video of the incident was released:
Per APD's policy, body camera footage from police-involved shootings is typically released within 10 business days after an incident occurred.
Also per the department's policy, APD is conducting two concurrent investigations into this incident: a criminal investigation conducted by the APD Special Investigations Unit in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney's Office and an administrative investigation conducted by the APD Internal Affairs Unit, with oversight from the Office of Police Oversight.
The three officers involved in this shooting have been placed on administrative duty.
Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call the Special Investigations Unit at 512-974-6840 or Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. Crime Stoppers also accepts anonymous online tips.