Mayor Adler calls for "quick and complete assessment" of deadly officer-involved shooting in SE Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Mayor Steve Adler says there needs to be a "quick and complete assessment" of a deadly officer-involved shooting in Southeast Austin.

The mayor released a statement about the shooting which happened on Friday, April 24. The statement is as follows:

“I’m very disturbed by the spectator’s video I’ve now seen on which Mike Ramos does not appear to threaten but ends up dead. There’s got to be a better way.

"The use of force is the most potent and irreversible of a police officer’s tools and requires trust between officers and the communities they protect. We don’t know all the facts surrounding the death of Mike Ramos but we do know people are hurting and there are many questions. We must respond to the anxiety and lack of confidence expressed by communities of color.

"I have told the Manager we need a quick and complete assessment by the Office of Police Oversight of this shooting and then a sharing of all relevant information with the community. This incident happens against the backdrop of investigations and assessments of the department that must also be full, transparent, concluded and reported.”

A demonstration was held on Saturday, April 25 where protesters said they believed police didn't need to use lethal force.

RELATED: Protesters voice concerns about APD following officer involved shooting

The shooting on April 24 happened in the parking lot of an apartment complex on South Peasant Valley Road. 

Austin Police Chief Brian Manley says officers were originally dispatched to the parking lot just after 6:30 p.m. “We received a 911 call. The caller stated that they could see people in the car, in the parking lot, doing drugs. They also stated that they could see the male subject holding a gun and they described the car.” he said.

He says they waited to proceed until several officers arrived because they received information that the car was believed to be linked to several burglaries and that someone allegedly evaded police in the vehicle on Thursday. 

Cellphone video shows officers giving commands to a man standing outside the drivers-side door of the car in question. They can be heard telling the man “walk towards us, walk towards us!” 

“At one point he appears to have his hands in the air while he’s showing his waist. Typically, that would be demonstrating that there is no weapon in the waistband. He is yelling back at the officers various things” Manley said.  

Video shows the man shouting “I ain’t got no f---ing guns no what the f---” 

Officers can be heard responding “Walk towards us, walk towards us. On your knees [man's name] comply with us. Comply with us. Comply with us.” 

The man responds “on your knees for what.” The exchanges that follow are inaudible. The man is shot with a bean bag. 

Residents of the complex can be heard shouting at police, asking why they are shooting. After being shot, the man runs into the car and tries to drive away. At that point, one officer fires a lethal weapon, his rifle, at least three shots can be heard. 

“And the vehicle then drives down a short distance and appears to have crashed into a parked vehicle at that time,” Manley explained. 

The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. A woman was also inside the car, she was unharmed.

Manley held a press conference on Monday, April 27 to share new information about the shooting.