Security guard describes chaotic moments following shooting at Austin hotel
AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Jasmine Adams was working an overnight security shift Wednesday at the La Quinta Inn off I-35 and Koenig Lane when she heard gunshots.
“Man, it was right by my ear going off. You could feel them,” Adams said. “I'm not never going to forget that."
Two men were hit multiple times. Adams said she was called to the office to help one of them.
“I just started praying,” said Adams.
She called 9-1-1 on speaker phone and applied pressure to the man's wounds with a towel until officers arrived.
“During me holding his arm, the cop was like, ‘Do you want to move the towel to see if it stopped bleeding?’ I really didn't want to. Did I want to? No. But will I? Okay, yeah. The bullet was still just gushing, so I just, ‘Nah, we’re going to keep that right there,’” Adams said.
Adams had only been on the job for six months at the time.
“I'm a hall monitor,” said Adams. "I don't even got to hold my weapon on me because it shouldn't be nothing going on. So I'm not trained to do any of that."
Her supervisors were impressed at how well she handled the situation.
“I was getting so much love. They was like, ‘Jas, you're doing a great job. We really appreciate it.’ They let me take the night off. They was like, ‘Don't even come back to work tonight. You recover,’” Adams said.
But Adams later found out she wouldn't ever be returning to that job. Instead, she was fired for speaking to the media at the scene.
“I don't have anything negative to say,” said Adams. "I appreciate the opportunity. I'm just going to move on. I'm just going to keep pushing."
Many have called her a hero for saving the man's life, including Austin police officers who are planning to nominate Adams for an award.
“While you’re going through it, you don't really look at yourself as Captain Hero or Shero,” Adams said. "You're just trying to help somebody out."
One victim died at the hospital. The man Adams helped is currently stable and she said she hopes one day she gets to see him again.
“I would hug him,” said Adams. "I don't know what the situation was, it doesn't matter, you don't want nobody to die."
Witnesses told police the suspect left the scene in a black Dodge Charger, which was later found abandoned on East Riverside Drive.
Homicide detectives urge anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or text "Tip 103" + a message to CRIMES or use the new Crime Stoppers App or email APD Homicide at homicide.apd@austintexas.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
Tips can also be submitted by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD.
The investigation is ongoing.