This browser does not support the Video element.
New details in fatal Wilco officer-involved shooting
We have new details in the officer-involved shooting that left one dead in Georgetown. Officials have identified the man killed, with new video showing officers on scene and the sound of gunfire. FOX 7 Austin's Marco Bitonel has more.
GEORGETOWN, Texas - The identity of the man killed in a Georgetown officer-involved shooting over the weekend has been released.
Law enforcement have also released new details related to the shooting.
One dead in Georgetown after officer struggle in downtown square
A man was shot and killed by a Georgetown police officer Saturday afternoon after a violent struggle in Georgetown Square, according to the Georgetown Police Department.
The backstory:
37 -year-old Timothy Visa Xayyaraj was killed on Saturday after police say he tried to take an officer’s weapon.
Officers were dispatched shortly before 1 p.m. to the 100 block of West Seventh Street after callers reported a man was acting erratically and jumping on vehicles around the square.
Georgetown police say Xayyaraj told officers he had a gun and reached toward his waistband. Officers determined he did not have a weapon, but the confrontation continued to escalate into a struggle. Officers then went hands-on with the man.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Suspect dead following officer-involved shooting
A man was shot and killed by a Georgetown police officer Saturday afternoon after a violent struggle in Georgetown Square, according to the Georgetown Police Department.
"At the time, the officers were able to discern that he did not have a gun in his waistband, but he advanced on to the point that they had to go hands on. And then the struggle went to the ground. There were at least four officers, and it became extremely violent," said Georgetown police Chief Cory Tchida.
During the fight, Xayyaraj tried to pull a handgun from an officer’s holster. Police said it was unclear whether the gun was removed from the holster. Officers heard a shot, broke contact with the man and then another officer fired.
This browser does not support the Video element.
One dead following officer-involved shooting
A man was shot and killed by a Georgetown police officer Friday afternoon after a struggle in Georgetown Square, according to the Georgetown Police Department.
The moment was captured by a nearby YouTube vlogger, TwoWheelsBackroads, who posted a video of the Saturday incident, where a voice could repeatedly be heard saying, "Let go of the gun." Seconds later, what sounds like a gunshot could be heard.
Later on in the video, a person could be seen lying in the street as first responders began conducting chest compressions.
Xayyaraj was treated and taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead.
Dig deeper:
That wasn’t Xayyaraj’s first run in with law enforcement that day.
According to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, in the early morning hours of Saturday, August 29, deputies encountered Xayyaraj at St. David’s Hospital in Round Rock, leading to his arrest and transport to the Williamson County jail.
He was arrested on a charge of attempting to take a weapon from an officer, but WCSO says it was determined the affidavit lacked sufficient information to establish probable cause necessitating Xayyaraj’s release from jail.
The Sheriff’s Office then said following his release, Xayyaraj went to the Georgetown Square exhibiting erratic behavior that led citizens to contact the Georgetown Police Department.
Law enforcement quickly responded and engaged the suspect, which led to an officer-involved shooting.
What they're saying:
In a joint statement, WCSO and District Attorney Shawn Dick said in part, "We are thankful that the officers involved were not seriously injured and members of the public were kept safe. We extend our condolences to the family of Mr. Xayyaraj.
"Mental illness is a significant and complex societal problem requiring many partners to address. If you know someone in crisis or are in crisis yourself, please reach out and call the "988" Suicide and Crisis Lifeline."
The statement goes on to say that the Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting.
As is standard procedure, the District Attorney’s Office will present the case to a Grand Jury upon completion of the Ranger’s investigation.
Store owner recounts experience
Local perspective:
The scene was just feet away from packed restaurants and stores along the Square’s W 7th Street.
"Saturdays are very busy in here, very busy," says Kim Wilkinson, a manager at the Red Bird Mercantile.
She told FOX 7 that around 13 people were in the boutique when the incident happened near their front door.
Wilkinson first heard about the gunfire from a coworker, finding it hard to believe at first.
"She said she heard gunshots and I said ‘No, no you didn't’ and she goes ‘No, I heard four gunshots,’" said Wilkinson.
She went to lock the front door of the store and saw officers swarming to the scene.
"I saw police presence, a lot of police presence. I saw some police officers looking down, so I wondered if maybe there was somebody down. But I locked it and just got in the back," she said.
The Source: Information in this report comes from an Aug 31 joint statement by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick, interviews by FOX 7 Austin's Marco Bitonel and previous reporting.