APD releases name of 17-year-old killed by police

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Update: 12:49 P.M Tuesday.

Austin Police held a press conference Tuesday Afternoon.  They identified the deceased male from yesterday's officer involved shooting as 17-year-old David Joseph.  

APD also identified the officer involved as Officer Geoffrey Freeman, a 10 year APD veteran.

There will be an internal investigation to determine if Officer Freeman acted in compliance with APD policies.  There will also be criminal investigation as well.

Austin police say they have a very strict policy when it comes to compliance with officers.

Assistant Police Chief Brian Manly said that the deceased teen was not armed.

Manly says, "Anytime a life is lost we see it as a tragic event for the family and the department."

WATCH THE ENTIRE PRESS CONFERENCE RIGHT HERE.

 


Update: 8:15 P.M Monday.

A teenager is dead after being shot by an Austin Police officer on Monday. The 18-year-old was reportedly naked and acting erratically prior to the shooting. Now, the president of Austin's NAACP is questioning whether this morning's shooting was legal.

It's a situation that NAACP President Nelson Linder says keeps being repeated, instead of fixed.

"We see a rush to judgment and as a result, somebody is dead. Normally it's always somebody black, in this city and this country," says Nelson Linder, NAACP President.

The Austin Police Department says they received multiple calls Monday morning of what appeared to be an 18-year-old black man acting erratically and aggressively. He was in the 12000 block of Nature's Bend.

"My partner saw someone wandering around in front of the house," says Erik Bremer, neighbor.

When an officer arrived, the teen was reportedly naked in the middle of the street. APD has still not said if he was armed at the time. Part of the incident was captured on dash camera video.

"The subject did not comply with the commands that the officer was giving and instead, charged the officer. The officer gives repeated commands to stop and additional commands, but the subject did not comply. The incident then goes off the frame but you can hear continued commands from the officers. Then ultimately, you can hear shots being fired," says Asst. Chief Brian Manley, Austin Police Department.

The teen later died at Round Rock Medical Center. It's something that Linder can't comprehend.

"I don't see how a young man who's naked, and not hurting anybody, winds up being dead. When in reality, those things require constraint and understanding, as opposed to deadly force," says Linder.

APD says there was no indication that a taser was used. It's concerning for some residents who live nearby. Myneeka Holloway says she heard about the teen in a Facebook post and wanted to make sure he was okay. By the time she went outside, it was too late.

"I don't know why a taser wasn't used. I just get worried. We're trying for kids and we want a son, so I just hope everything was handled properly," says Myneeka Holloway, neighbor.

The officer involved in the incident has been with the Austin Police Department for more than 10 years. He has been put on administrative leave, which is standard protocol.

"The question is, how do you address your policy now? If it allows this kind of shooting, it's not of value. The problem with these shootings is often times APD, they don't appear to enforce their own policies. If that's the case we have a major problem because if you have a policy and don't follow it, then what good is it?" says Linder.

APD says they are investigating reports of the teen acting suspiciously in the neighborhood on Sunday. They want anyone who thinks they saw the man to call and give a report.

Last May, the Austin Police Department Research and Planning Unit published a report on officer-involved shootings. During the years 2000 to 2014, Austin experienced 74 officer-involved shootings. Peak years were in 2007 and 2013 with nine shootings. The average was five shootings per year.

 


Original story: February 8, 2016
By: Noelle Newton

Austin Police are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting. Officers say the victim was naked at the time. He is described as an 18-year-old black man.

Monday morning Austin Police say they received multiple calls of what appeared to be an 18-year-old black male acting suspiciously and aggressively along nature's bend in Northeast Austin. Erik Bremer's partner made one of those calls.

"My partner saw someone wondering around in front of the house here," he said.

Some neighbors took to Facebook. Myneeka Holloway saw the posts and got concerned.

"I decided after i took my shower I was going to go out to try to make sure everything is okay because when I saw him he was black, so I just wanted to make sure everything was okay and I feel like I shouldn't have taken a shower," Holloway said.

It was at that time that her husband heard gunfire.

"I heard two pops and i was like 'what was that,'" said Erik Holloway.

By the time the two got a look, the man was on a stretcher.

"They were doing CPR trying to resuscitate him," said Myneeka.

APD Assistant Chief Brian Manley says when an officer arrived, he found the man naked in the middle of the street. Part of the incident was captured on dash camera video.

"The subject did not comply with the commands that the officer was giving and instead charged the officer," Manley said. "The officer gives repeated commands to stop and additional commands, but the subject did not comply. The incident then goes off the frame, but you can hear continued commands from the officers. Then ultimately you can hear shots being fired."

The man was pronounced dead at Round Rock Medical Center.

Manley would not say whether the man was armed at any point. He did say there was no indication that a taser was used.

"That will be part of the ongoing investigation," said Manley.

Holloway, who just bought her husband a reflective running vest for his safety, finds the circumstances worrisome.

"We had a neighbor when we first moved in think that he was a suspect as well," said Myneeka. "I don't know why a taser wasn't used. I just get worried. We're trying for kids and we want a son, so I just hope everything was handled properly."

Officers are also investigating reports of the man acting suspiciously in the neighborhood yesterday. They want anyone who thinks they saw the man to call and give a report.

The officer involved has been with the department for 10 1/2 years. We are told he has been placed on administrative leave as is customary. 

Austin Police held a press conference around 1 p.m. Monday.