Travis County DA: APD officers justified in 2016 deadly shooting

After a year and a half investigation the Travis County District Attorney's Office says two Austin Police Department officers were justified in the deadly shooting of a woman back in 2016. 

Documents, audio and video of the incident are now being released.

Officers in the dashcam video can be heard trying to determine whether 26-year-old Micah Jester was armed. About 10 minutes later Jester was dead.

On October 17, 2016 Jester's husband called 9-1-1 asking for mental health assistance. He told the dispatcher he was concerned for his daughter's safety. 

According to court documents, Jester's husband said they had both been incarcerated in the past mainly for drug use and that Micah had been admitted to a rehab facility.

When to Austin police officers arrived it was still unclear to them whether Micah was armed. She apparently walked outside the apartment toward the officers and was pointing what they believed to be a handgun. That's when officer shot Micah.

While that was going on her husband was still on the phone with 9-1-1 trying to inform them that his wife wanted police officers to kill her.

Investigators later determined the weapon she threatened officers with was a replica semi-automatic BB gun.

As part of the decision, DA Margaret Moore will not present the case to a grand jury for possible indictment.

 

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