AUSTIN, Texas - Travis County District Attorney José Garza announced a special grand jury concluded its review of the deadly officer-involved shooting in May 2022.
Austin Police Department Officers Derek Baroody # 8496, Travis Buck # 9397, Antonio Camps # 8513, Jennifer Perez Molina # 9414, and Andrew Klinger # 7773 were all placed on administrative leave pending an investigation on the shooting.
A grand jury did not return an indictment for the officers.
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APD releases body cam footage of May 26 officer-involved shooting
A man who appeared to be having a mental health episode died at the scene of an officer-involved shooting.
On May 26, 2022, officers were dispatched to the area of Faro Dr. and Crossing Place in response to a man with a gun. Officers found the 911 caller, Robert Hammitt, at 1500 Crossing Place.
Hammitt previously reported to the dispatcher that he was surrounded by law enforcement and the National Guard, and that a man was pointing a rifle at him. When officers arrived, they found Hammitt, who was seated inside the driver’s side of his truck.
Officers asked Hammitt to leave his hands outside the truck window and exit the truck. Hammitt then discharged a firearm in the direction of the officers. The officers ran for cover and returned fire in the direction of the truck.
Hammitt fired a second shot as the truck rolled backward, and officers returned fire again. After the truck stopped, officers instructed Hammitt for several minutes to exit the truck so that they could help him and provide medical aid.
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Hammitt did not respond to the instructions.
Hammitt was subsequently removed from his truck, and APD and EMS undertook life-saving measures but were unsuccessful. Hammitt was pronounced dead at the scene.
"The District Attorney’s office takes the work of presenting all facts and evidence to a grand jury very seriously," said District Attorney Garza. "In this case, an independent group of members of the Travis County community heard the evidence and law and decided that Officers Baroody’s, Buck’s, Camp’s, Molina’s, and Klinger’s conduct was not unlawful."