APD detectives ask for help gathering leads in D'Andre Isaiah Day's murder
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department (APD) is asking the community for help in gathering leads in connection to the murder of D'Andre Isaiah Day.
APD Homicide Detective Jeffrey Rodriguez and D'Andre Isaiah Day's uncle Rodney Anderson spoke at the press conference on Thursday.
RELATED: Police looking for downtown Austin homicide suspects, vehicle
On Sept. 4, 2022, at around 2:34 a.m, APD officers were flagged down at the corner of 6th Street and Brazos Street. There they found 27-year-old D'Andre Isiah Day lying on the ground with what appeared to be life-threatening stab wounds.
Police say in the surveillance video, Day and the main suspect start squaring up, and the suspect pulls out a knife. Day runs off, but the suspect approaches his friend.
"This causes D'Andre to run back. D'Andre was tried initially trying to get away from the Black male suspect with the knife, but because the Black male suspect with the knife ran towards his friend, D'Andre's intention was to go in and assist his friend from getting stabbed," Det. Jeffrey Rodriguez with Austin police said.
Day was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.
Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Specialists responded to investigate the scene. During the on-scene investigation, detectives determined that Day and a friend had been in an altercation with three other men. One of the three unidentified men stabbed Day.
The stabbing appears to have escalated from a random meeting on the street. The investigation is still ongoing, and detectives believe this to be an isolated incident with no threat to the public.
"He'd help anybody that needs help, as you can tell, you went back to help his friend, and he succumbed to the stabbing. That's the kind of guy he is," Day's uncle, Rodney Anderson, said. "What was taken from us was joy, the smile, you could see it on his face, if you walked up and saw D'andre and talked to him, I guarantee you in two minutes you'll be laughing. That's the kind of kid he was."
On May 12, APD released a second video showing people of interest.
"Go through your photos, go through your videos, and make sure you didn't, while taking videos and photographs of yourselves and your friends, you didn't by chance get some footage of these suspects. Any help that can lead to the apprehension of these suspects would be very, very, very appreciated," Rodriguez said.
"The suspects on Sept. 4 took a lot of joy from my family. It's been a trying time for everybody concerned, with our family, or involved in our family to help close this and help our family out," Anderson said.
Anyone with information or video of the incident should call APD Homicide at 512-974-TIPS; the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), use the new Crime Stoppers App, or email APD Homicide at homicide.apd@austintexas.gov. You may remain anonymous.