Austin, Texas – On Sunday, a veteran law enforcement officer lost his life while serving his community in an off-duty capacity in North Austin, Texas. Just after 2:00 a.m., police responded to a report of gunfire in the parking lot of Club Rodeo on North Lamar Boulevard, where a Caldwell County Precinct 3 Constable’s deputy had been shot while working a security detail. Officers arriving on scene found the deputy with significant trauma and immediately transported him to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The Caldwell County Constable’s Office confirmed that the deputy was fulfilling an off-duty assignment at the popular nightlife establishment when the shooting occurred. Law enforcement agencies across the region mobilized swiftly, including the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, the Austin Police Department, air support, K-9 units, and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, to combine efforts. The suspect was arrested Sunday afternoon.
Details surrounding the motive and sequence of events remain under active investigation. Detectives are urging anyone who was at the scene, Patrons, staff, and bystanders alike, to review personal video footage and contact authorities with any information that could assist in reconstructing the moments leading up to the shooting.
Training Tips from Travis Yates
- Maintain situational awareness at all times, especially in off-duty environments.
- Officers are hired for off-duty assignments for a reason, and that reason typically involves the potential for violence or crime.
- Notify local law enforcement of your presence at off-duty assignments.
- Develop and rehearse threat detection skills to identify potential danger indicators in crowded or public settings.
- Practice stress inoculation and decision-making drills that simulate off-duty confrontation.Dr. Travis Yates has pioneered a validated behavioral risk framework to help officers and leaders identify, assess, and articulate risk in rapidly evolving, uncertain situations. Find out more about the FOCUS Behavioral Risk Framework.
