Man shot and killed by police after pointing gun at people in Austin, Texas

Two police officers shot and killed an armed man after a brief foot chase in downtown Austin, Texas, hours after multiple people reported that he was pointing a handgun at people near a busy trail system, according to officials.

Police began receiving 911 calls shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday about a white man armed with a handgun near the trails around Lamar Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Street, according to Police Chief Lee Rogers. Callers reported that the man was pointing the weapon at multiple people throughout the area.

Officers searched the downtown area for several hours before encountering a man matching the description at about 11 a.m. He was initially on a scooter when officers approached and attempted to detain him and question him about the earlier calls.

The man left the scooter behind and ran away, leading officers on a short foot chase. Officers saw that he had a firearm and repeatedly ordered him to stop and drop the weapon, but he refused.

When the officers caught up with him, both opened fire and struck him. Rogers did not explain what immediately caused the officers to shoot, but said more than one round was fired.

Officers provided medical aid, but the man was pronounced dead from his injuries.

Rogers said he could not confirm reports that the man was homeless. The shooting is being investigated administratively with Austin Police Oversight and criminally by the department’s Special Investigations Unit and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.