Police identify accused man, detectives involved in Southeast Austin standoff, shooting
The Austin Police Department released the identities of a man accused of shooting a detective during an Aug. 6 standoff and the two detectives who shot at the man.
Dwayne Brzozowski, 56, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a public servant, a first-degree felony, and two counts of deadly conduct, a third-degree felony.
Detectives Daniel Jackson and Christopher Van Buren shot at Brzozowski, police said in a news release Friday. Jackson, who has almost nine years of service with the Police Department, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. Van Buren, who was not injured, has about 10 years of service with the department.
Per Austin police protocol, both detectives have been placed on administrative leave.
Around 8 p.m. Aug. 6, Jackson and Van Buren responded to a call for a welfare check in the 10000 block of Channel Island Drive in Southeast Austin. The caller said he had not seen his neighbor for six to eight months and that he had knocked on the door of the home throughout the month with no answer.
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The detectives noted that the home seemed in disrepair and the backyard appeared not to have been maintained for some time. They decided to enter the home to ensure the resident’s welfare and were given authorization by their supervisor to do so, the news release said.
The detectives knocked on the door but received no response. Van Buren then kicked open the door, the release said, and the two identified themselves as Austin police officers.
The resident, Brzozowski, said, “What?” After the detectives again identified themselves as police, Brzozowski moved toward them with a firearm, the news release said. It said detectives retreated and moved away from the home in opposite directions, and Brzozowski exited the home with a firearm. Van Buren then called for backup.
Van Buren “gave verbal commands” to Brzozowski to drop the weapon, the release said, while Jackson took cover in an open garage of a home across the street.
Brzozowski fired shots in the direction of the detectives, the release said. At one point, it said, Brzozowski shot a neighbor’s front door and the marked police vehicle that was parked in front of his home.
Around 9:05 p.m., Jackson said over the police radio that he’d been shot and needed assistance. Another officer moved him to safety minutes later.
Van Buren maintained cover until officers arrived. He and Jackson fired their weapons during the encounter, police said.
Brzozowski went back into his residence, the release said, and at 9:17 p.m., a SWAT call-out was initiated. At 11:57 p.m., Brzozowski exited the home and surrendered to police without further incident, officials said.
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As he was taken into custody, officers noticed that Brzozowski had a gunshot wound and gave him medical aid. He was taken to a hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
Jackson was treated at a hospital and released. No other civilians or officers suffered injuries, the news release said.
Officials said the Police Department will conduct two concurrent investigations into the incident: a criminal investigation by its special investigations unit in conjunction with the Travis County district attorney’s office and an administrative investigation conducted by the internal affairs unit with oversight from the city's Office of Police Oversight.
Police said the details provided Friday are preliminary, as the department is “very early” in the investigation.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin police identify accused man, detectives involved in standoff
