Officials: Leander police officer shot and killed man during drug search at Austin hotel
A Leander police officer shot and killed a 34-year-old man inside an Austin hotel room while carrying out a narcotics search warrant early Tuesday, according to a police news release. The Leander Police Department said the man's name is not yet being released because relatives need to be notified.
Leander Assistant Police Chief Billy Fletcher said it was the first deadly use of force in the department's history.
The shooting happened while officers were carrying out the warrant at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Extended Stay Hotel at 9909 North Lamar Blvd. in Austin, the release said. It did not explain the circumstances that led to the officer firing a weapon.
Police recovered 2.3 kilos of methamphetamine including 1,000 Ecstasy tablets, 12 ounces of psilocybin, 250 Xanax, two guns and $6,795 in cash at the scene, Fletcher said.
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Austin police were called to investigate the shooting after it happened.
The Leander officer involved in the shooting is part of the Central Texas Regional SWAT team that was doing the search, the release said.
Police said the Cedar Park Police Department issued the warrant.
The Leander officer, who has not yet been identified, has been placed on administrative leave as part of the Leander Police Department's standard policy.
The shooting was the first deadly use of force in the history of the Central Texas SWAT team, Fletcher said.
The team is made up of members from the Georgetown, Leander, Cedar Park and Pflugerville police and fire departments, along with medics from Williamson County EMS. It was formed in 2014.
"Narcotic investigations frequently cross jurisdictional lines, which is why this investigation led officers into Austin," Fletcher said. "This search warrant was affected by Central Texas SWAT in Austin because it is standard practice for partnering agencies to use Central Texas SWAT for our warrants and high risk incidents."
Austin police were notified about the search warrant and had two officers on scene when it was carried out, Fletcher said.
Officers knocked before carrying out the warrant, he said. "This was not a 'no-knock' warrant,'" said the assistant police chief.
Austin voters on May 7 approved a ballot measure that prevents the city's police officers from entering properties unannounced using no-knock warrants.
On Wednesday, Leander police had not released the identity of the officer placed on leave. The department also had not answered questions about whether the slain man had a weapon or had physically assaulted the officer.
Leander police said Wednesday that a delay at the medical examiners office was preventing a positive identification of the victim for one to three days.
"This was an incident involving multiple agencies, and we want make sure all of our facts are 100% accurate prior to their release," said Fletcher. "We are also coordinating with Austin PD, the prosecutor, and ME's office because it is an ongoing investigation."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Officials say Leander officer killed man during drug search in Austin
