Police identify victim killed in East Austin shooting; investigation ongoing

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police are investigating the city’s 19th homicide of the year, after a man was shot and killed early Tuesday morning in East Austin. The shooting sent another man to the hospital.

Police said on Tuesday, March 21, around 12:27 a.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 6300 block of Felix Avenue. 

When officers arrived, they found a man, 20-year-old Jacob Anthony Soto, lying in the middle of the street with a gunshot wound. Soto died a short time later, police said.

Officers later found a trail of blood leaving the area. As the investigation progressed, officers were notified a second person was shot, and checked into a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. That person was found and interviewed.

Investigators also discovered another man was with Soto before the shooting. Detectives believe all three men arranged a meeting which escalated into a physical fight and led to the shooting.

This investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been filed at this time.

"Acts of violence are concerning," said Mark Henderson, a neighbor who lives on Felix Avenue.

But Henderson, who’s lived in the neighborhood for years, remembers a time when violence in this neighborhood was more common.

"When I first moved to Austin in 2000, this was considered a really dangerous neighborhood. And I had a friend who lived here, and he said he heard gunshots and stuff all the time," said Henderson.

These days, he says shootings like this have become more the exception to the rule, and he hopes it stays that way.

"Generally it's pretty quiet around here. But, you know, every now and then there's violence. But usually its homeless people that are kind of migrating through the area more than anything else," said Henderson.

Anyone with any information should contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.