Hays County inmate shot, killed by corrections officer after he tried to escape Kyle hospital: Sheriff

KYLE, Texas - A Hays County inmate was shot and killed by a corrections officer after the inmate tried to escape a Kyle hospital, the Hays County Sheriff's Office said.

The Hays County Sheriff's Office said a Hays County Corrections Officer was guarding an inmate, 36-year-old Joshua Wright, who was getting undisclosed medical treatment at Seton Hospital in Kyle.

Wright, in an attempt to escape, assaulted the corrections officer and ran through the emergency room. 

The correction officer fired his firearm and struck Wright, HCSO said.

Medical staff immediately started life-saving measures, but he died from his injuries. 

Wright was in Hays County Jail for the following charges: Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Bail Jumping, Fail to Appear, Reckless Driving, Criminal Mischief, and Evading Arrest and Detention. 

The officer is getting legal assistance from CLEAT, a law enforcement advocacy group. The head of CLEAT, Charlie Wilkison, said the shooting, which began as an escape attempt, involved the possible use of medical instruments as weapons.

"It's my understanding that he attacked the deputy, hit him in the throat and physically attacked him, and then made his way toward these potential weapons that could have been used against patients and nurses and the medical staff there," said Wilkison.

Wilkison could not say if he knew for certain whether Wright was armed with the medical utensils or was trying to get them.

"What we can say is that Hays County deputy made a decision not to have a loss of life like happened in Dallas at the medical center there," said Wilkison.

In October, a man was shot in Methodist Dallas by police after he shot and killed two employees. Video from that incident shows the threat there was clear. It’s not known when video from the shooting in Kyle will be released.

"This will be scrutinized by three agencies, at least over a long period of time. But that officer didn't have that luxury," said Wayne Vincent.

Vincent is a retired Austin police sergeant with 30 years experience. He explained a key part of the shoot, don’t shoot training.

"You are authorized to use deadly force in saving your life or the life of a third party. And in this case, the other alternative would be to not take any action. And the next thing you know, you have a hospital employee that's injured or even taken hostage in furtherance of this escape attempt. And no officer wants to know that because of their inaction, they caused injury or death to a third party," said Vincent.

The possibility of contradictions may arise when the video is reviewed, Vincent said.

"Memory is something else after a critical incident. There are a lot of things that everything slows down in a critical incident. You have tunnel vision. There are a lot of things that that officer may have seen and perceived that they just don't remember at the right after the incident. The adrenaline is flowing. It's very complicated to get everything that officer perceived at that moment, especially if you do the interview right after the incident," said Vincent.

As per Hays County Sheriff’s Office policy, the Texas Rangers were called to the scene to assist with the officer-involved shooting. This is an active investigation, any further details will be released at a later time. 

The officer involved has been place on administrative leave, as per protocol. 

If you have information regarding this investigation, contact Detective Travis Terreo with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office at 512-393-7896 or travis.terreo@co.hays.tx.us and refer to case number HCSO 2022-67679. You can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800-324- 8466 or you can submit your information on-line to Tip Line P3tips.com as well as submit a tip on the new Hays County Sheriff’s Office App.