Man shot dead in parking lot of Austin gas station after confronting law enforcement while armed with knife Thursday evening

A situation between a man and law enforcement in northwest Austin that spanned more than 24 hours starting last Wednesday afternoon, including authorities attempting several measures to get a man out of an apartment to bring the situation to a peaceful resolution ended Thursday night when he was shot and killed after confronting officers at a gas station.

Austin Chief of Police Dave McKichan stated in a news release that officers were first dispatched to the area of 7th Street and 8th Avenue NW at approximately 3:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon for a report of a male walking in traffic, holding a knife.  Officers located the man, who was armed with a machete, in public and attempted to gain verbal compliance from the subject, which Chief McKichan stated was ineffective, and the man was then followed into a residence.  McKichan went on to state that as officers attempted to take the male into custody, several tasers  were deployed, but were also ineffective.  The subject then retreated further into an apartment in the 1200 block of 4th Avenue NW, and Chief McKichan stated that he then threatened to hurt other people.  The Austin/Mower Special Incident Response, or SIRT Team, including trained negotiators then responded to the incident.

McKichan went on to report that over the next 24-plus hours, officers attempted to negotiate with the individual to come to a peaceful resolution, as the stated that several  times during the incident, officers used pepper gas and less than lethal foam impact munitions, which were also ineffective.  At approximately 6:00 p.m. on the evening of December 23rd, Chief McKichan stated that the police presence in the area was drawn down to uniformed officers posted in the area to continue to monitor the situation and ensure public safety.  At approximately 9:30 p.m., the male exited the apartment complex and walked to the nearby Kwik Trip gas station in the 1200 block of Oakland Avenue West, followed by the authorities.  McKichan indicated that in the parking lot of the gas station, the male, who was armed with a knife, confronted the officers on the scene, and at one point, one officer discharged their firearm, striking the male.  Officers on the scene rendered medical aid to the male and called for an ambulance, but McKichan stated that the male later died at the scene.  

The Minnesota BCA was called to investigate the officer-involved shooting, and Chief McKichan stated that the male will be identified by the Rochester Mayo Medical Examiner’s Office.