Sister of man shot dead at Givens Park in 2019 pleads for information

The family of a man shot dead four years ago in an East Austin park wants to know who did it. 

Andre Davis was killed in the Givens Park parking lot in April 2019, and the Austin Police Department is asking for the public’s help in solving his murder.

Davis’ sister said she just wants justice for her brother. "It would mean a lot for me to have closure," Arbor Davis said.

Andre Davis was known as ‘Big Dre from 12th Street.’ "Andre was a fun, loving person. He was more like a comedian around here in Austin," Davis said.

On April 9, 2019, at around 10:45 p.m., Austin Police officers found Davis shot dead in the Givens Park parking lot.

"Initial reaction was shock, pain, hurt, didn’t want to believe it and when I got on the scene, there it was, all the people, all the policemen, Big Dre, laying on the ground," Davis said.

Witnesses said Davis was playing dominoes that night when one or two people robbed him, he complied, but was then shot.

"A senseless murder, shot for no reason," Davis said.

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Davis said she wasn’t shocked though. "Where I’m from, East 12th Street, it’s been a lot of killings, lately in America, it’s just a lot of guns on the streets, it’s just one murder after another," she said.

Almost four years after her brother’s death, family members released orange balloons for gun violence awareness.

"Maybe the next time someone is thinking about using a gun or whatever, they’re thinking about the consequences and how it hurts the families of the loved ones, being taken away from us for no reason, just senseless," Davis said.

Davis is pleading for information.

"Maybe you didn’t know that it was going to be a murder that day, maybe you were involved with something that you can’t handle the pain right now, you can’t handle the burden, call APD and relieve yourself," Davis said.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact the APD Cold Case Unit at (512) 974-5250. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.