New details released on deadly shooting involving man in wheelchair

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department is providing more details regarding a deadly officer-involved shooting in South Austin this past Saturday.

A man in a wheelchair was shot and killed by an officer after he reportedly pointed a gun at officers and refused to follow commands to drop it. When officers retrieved the gun, they found it was a Glock replica BB gun.

Police Chief Lisa Davis spoke from APD headquarters.

New details released

What we know:

Chief Davis shared new information from the shooting, including 911 call audio and both body cam footage and bystander footage.

911 Caller: "The guy got the gun sitting in his lap. He was waving it around just a minute ago. Yeah, it was crazy."

Several 911 calls came in about the man in a wheelchair waiving a firearm and blocking traffic on Saturday morning at the bridge on William Cannon. 

"Listening to all these 911 calls, a lot of people around the scene," said APD chief Lisa Davis. "This was a very busy area. We're talking 9:50 in the morning. So you imagine, on a Saturday, a quite crowded area." 

911 Caller: "It looks like a handgun; it looks like a Glock to me."

The body-cam footage worn by an APD officer showed the chaotic scene before the shooting. 

Officer: "I need a unit to get westbound and block traffic."

When the man in the wheelchair, Danny Palomino, saw the police, he started going in the opposite direction. Then, in a video captured by a driver, you see Palomino pointing the weapon at the officer. 

Officer: "Stop! Put your hands up! Put your HANDS UP! Put your hands up!" 

They yelled for him to stop and drop the handgun several times. 

"Though this was a difficult incident, our officers did an admirable job," said Davis. 

There were a total of six shots fired by police. Palomino was taken to a South Austin hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

"I believe he's 45 years old from Austin," said Davis. "He has suffered from some mental health episodes in his life, unfortunately." 

APD later realized it was a Glock replica BB gun. 

"That's the danger with these guns," said Davis. "I've been in law enforcement for 33 years. I looked at this picture, and I couldn't tell the difference at that." 

The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Officer Joshua Jackson. He has been with APD for seven years and four months.

After the shooting, Officer Jackson was placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol. 

What you can do:

Austin police are asking the public to share any photos or videos with the department through this link.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call APD's Special Investigation Unit at (512) 974-6840 or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. For the Capitol Area Crime Stoppers submission, you may submit a tip online at austincrimestoppers.org. You may remain anonymous. 

Man in wheelchair shot, killed by Austin police

The backstory:

Austin police said that at around 10 a.m., on May 17, they got multiple 911 calls about a man in a wheelchair blocking traffic on West William Cannon Drive, not far from Menchaca Road, and pointing a gun.

One officer on the scene reported seeing a gun in the man's lap.

When APD arrived, the man began moving up the bridge and away from police until he turned around and pointed his weapon.

Police said they asked him to drop it multiple times, but the interaction ended in six rounds of gunfire from an officer.

The man in the wheelchair died, and when officers retrieved his gun, they found that it was a Glock replica BB gun.

Witnesses recount the events

Local perspective:

 "Even my mother called me saying, like, 'hey, are you okay?' cause she like even heard about it, saying like, hey, there’s a shooting going on," said Brandon Espitia, who works at the Shipley's Donuts down the street.

 "All we just saw was cops and EMS and the fire department just driving so fast that way," said Espitia.

Just before the shooting, he said a man came into their store matching the description.

"A guy in the wheelchair with one leg, just one leg, he walked in here and just started talking really fast," said Espitia. "Really fast. Asking for a job application."

Police say no one else, including the officer, was injured.

Crime and Public SafetySouth Austin