One dead in Georgetown after officer struggle in downtown square
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.
GEORGETOWN, Texas - 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.
Georgetown Square shooting details
What we know:
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 the man told officers he had a gun and reached toward his waistband. Officers determined he did not have a weapon there, but the confrontation escalated when the man advanced toward them. At least four officers went hands-on with the man, and the struggle moved to the ground.
During the fight, the man 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 one officer fired.
"He had indicated to them that he had a gun. He reached for his waistband. At the time, the officers were able to discern that he did not have a gun in his waist band, 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. And during the violence on the ground, the subject was attempting to rip one of the handguns out of one of the officer's holsters. It is unclear whether or not the gun at this point had actually gotten out of the holster, but there was apparently a shot heard," said Georgetown police chief, Cory Tchida.
No active shooter threat to public
Dig deeper:
Police said there was no active shooter and no ongoing threat to the public, addressing social media rumors that incorrectly suggested there was an active shooter on the square.
The shooting happened in a busy area of downtown Georgetown, where people were shopping and walking around Saturday afternoon. A woman at the square said she saw numerous police cars arrive before hearing gunfire and running into a restaurant for shelter.
Officers and emergency medical personnel provided aid before the man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
What's next:
The department has not released the man’s identity or the names of the involved officers. Police said the information remains preliminary and could change as investigators interview witnesses and review evidence.
The Texas Rangers are leading the officer-involved shooting investigation with help from the Georgetown Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
The Source: Information was provided by the Georgetown Police Department.