Fatal stabbing on S. Congress sparks homeless policy debate among state and city leaders

AUSTIN, Texas - Austinites awoke to a terrifying attack Friday morning on South Congress. It was the first homicide of the year. 
 
Austin police responded to a disturbance at Bennu Coffee Shop to find two people actively detaining the suspect. Witnesses told police the suspect assaulted a customer for no apparent reason. During the arrest, the suspect broke free and entered Freebirds World Burrito where police report the suspect stabbed two employees before jumping off the roof and injuring himself. 
 
One Freebirds employee was transported to the hospital and is in critical condition. Johnathan Aguilar, a kitchen manager at Freebirds died on scene. Aguilar's family tells FOX 7 he was a loving person, son, and father. The suspect was in critical condition. 
 
Following the attack, Governor Greg Abbott tweeted, “When all the facts are revealed I bet you'll learn that the killer was a homeless man with prior arrests. If so Austin’s reckless homeless policy puts lives in danger to murders like this. Austin leaders must answer for their perilous policies"
 
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said he was saddened by the news and by Governor Abbott’s tweet,
                
"I found the governor's tweet to be disappointing and misleading and harmful, it's just wrong factually and otherwise to equate experiencing homelessness with being a criminal,” Adler said. "There is no evidence to suggest that anything we've done in the city has exacerbated or encouraged or allowed increased criminal activity."
 
Councilwoman Delia Garza echoed Mayor Adler’s sentiment on Twitter saying there needs to be funding for mental health and housing resources. 
Governor Abbott’s tweets continued stating he wasn’t, “attacking homelessness instead criticizing the lawlessness promoted by the city of Austin.”
Mayor Adler said he doesn’t plan to tweet back at the governor anytime soon and welcomes a sit-down conversation with Abbott to discuss the issue.