Austin police are investigating an in-custody death that occurred after officers detained a man in North Austin on June 6.
According to the Austin Police Department, officers responded around 6:31 p.m. to reports of a shirtless man bleeding and behaving erratically in the 7600 block of Grover Avenue. Several 911 callers reported the man was knocking on doors and attempting to enter homes in the neighborhood.
When officers arrived, they found 32-year-old Josh Ryan Trumble lying in the front yard of a residence. Police said Trumble had multiple lacerations and appeared to be experiencing a medical or psychological crisis.
At the same time, officers learned of a reported burglary at a nearby home in the 7700 block of Woodrow Avenue. Investigators said surveillance footage and witness descriptions led them to believe Trumble was involved in the break-in.
Police said officers attempted to detain Trumble while waiting for Austin-Travis County EMS to arrive. During the arrest, Trumble reportedly resisted efforts to be handcuffed, and an officer deployed a Taser. Officers were then able to place him in handcuffs.
According to APD, Trumble became unresponsive moments later. Officers immediately requested emergency medical assistance, checked for a pulse, and began CPR when none was detected.
Austin Fire Department and Austin-Travis County EMS personnel arrived and continued lifesaving efforts for approximately 38 minutes. Trumble was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:18 p.m.
No officers or members of the public were injured during the incident.
The cause of death has not been determined and will be established by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office.
As is standard procedure in in-custody death cases, APD has launched both criminal and administrative investigations. The criminal investigation is being conducted by the department’s Special Investigations Unit in coordination with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, while Internal Affairs will conduct a separate administrative review.
The officers involved are identified as:
- Officer Justin Wright
- Officer Kate Hagemeier
- Officer Carl Chester
- Officer Jeremmy Santos Beltre
- Officer Calvin Fusilier
- Officer Gabriella Fekete
- Officer Benjamin Ye
All seven officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigations.
