APD identifies officers involved in North Austin shooting

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department has identified two officers involved in a North Austin shooting in early January.

APD has identified Officer Javier Rodriguez as the officer who fired his weapon and injured 23-year-old Dylan Michael Polinski and Officer Kamowa Reynolds as the officer who deployed a taser at Polinski.

APD says that as per policy, Rodriguez and Reynolds were placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is being investigated.

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Police provide update on officer-involved shooting - 1/4/21

Austin police discuss details of a SWAT situation that led to an officer-involved shooting.

APD says it has also begun the public release viewing process for a video depicting the shooting at the Springhill Suites on Jan. 4. The video, which will be released to the public on Friday, March 5, includes relevant audio and video footage from the ongoing investigation, but APD says that in accordance with state law, the video materials have been edited or redacted, but do include comprehensive footage of the officers' actions.

The officer-involved shooting stems from a SWAT situation at the Springhill Suites. The incident began on January 3 at around 9:47 p.m. when APD says it received information from the Round Rock Police Department that an armed and dangerous person, wanted for aggravated robbery out of Williamson County, was at the hotel.

Round Rock police requested assistance in locating the suspect, identified as Polinski, and at 9:50 p.m. officers arrived and it was determined Polinski was not at the scene.

SWAT situation in North Austin leads to officer-involved shooting

Officials say Polinski appeared to use the woman he was with as a shield.

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Then at around 3:48 a.m. on January 4, Austin police responded to a new 911 call from Springhill Suites indicating that Polinski had returned to the hotel. At around 4:20 a.m., officers attempted to make contact with Polinski to get him to surrender but he didn't comply and barricaded himself inside a room with a woman that police said appeared to be there against her will.

Officers secured the scene and several nearby rooms were evacuated. APD SWAT was called and arrived at around 5:20 a.m.

Officials say Polinski left the room and appeared to use the woman he was with as a shield. SWAT was able to escort the woman to safety as Polinski then ran down the hallway towards a stairwell exit. As Polinski entered the stairwell he was confronted by officers securing the exit.

Polisnki was tased by an officer, but the taser did not appear to be effective. Polinski headed towards the officers again, police say that's when an officer fired his weapon and Polinski was shot.