Officer involved shooting
For the second morning in a row, Austin police are dealing with an officer involved shooting. This involved an off-duty Austin police officer who shot a man overnight in southeast Austin. APD Chief Brian Manley says the officer was on his way into the neighborhood off of Wickersham when a car began following him and reportedly pointed a gun. Shots were fired. The off duty officer then fired multiple rounds back as the car sped away before coming to a stop farther down Wickersham. And that’s when on-duty officers started arriving.
“This part of the interaction is captured on body-worn cameras because on-duty officers were present. The initial part that I just described, this was an off-duty officer, not in uniform, so therefore not wearing a body worn camera,” said Manley.
Manley says the man got out, refused commands and opened the back door, prompting officers and to shoot and kill the man. A gun was found in the car. A female passenger was hit by gunfire and was taken to the hospital for surgery. She is now in stable condition. The area there around Wickersham and Oltorf will be closed down for a while as officers continue. that investigation. We will continue following this story throughout the morning.
North Austin shooting update
Internal Affairs and the District Attorney’s office continue investigating the Monday officer involved shooting at the Springhill Suites Hotel in North Austin. Two officers are on administrative leave, one of whom fired a gun. Another who used a Taser. Dylan Polinsky, meantime, is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg. He will be booked on an aggravated assault warrant out of Williamson County once he is released from the hospital, and more charges may be coming.
COVID-19 update
Travis County is dealing with more COVID patients in its hospitals than any point in the pandemic. This morning there are 552 people in local hospitals, almost 60 more than a day ago. 156 people are in the ICU. And that’s up by 6. 4,974 cases are active at the moment. Since March, 52,708 cases have been confirmed, resulting in 47,180 recoveries.
Vaccine distribution
Elected officials in the Austin area are pressing COVID vaccine distribution planners to ensure equitable access. City Council member Natasha Harper-Madison says thus far, only grocery stores and CVS are part of the plan and there aren’t a lot of those out in Austin’s eastern crescent. So the group wants to see that list expanded.
“I know that AISD entered into a relationship with the public health department and they’re talking about utilizing school nurses to be able to administer vaccines. I think to take it a step further, have firefighters be able to administer the vaccine, have fire stations,” says Harper-Madison.
Harper-Madison adds the city should be looking for ways to use every physical asset they have to try and spread the vaccine further into the community.
Teachers report to campus
Teachers in the Austin school district who have not been given permission to work from home have to report to campus today. Dyslexia therapist Patty Candelaria is one of them. She has a heart defect says cardiologists say she should keep her at home during the pandemic. But AISD says otherwise.
“And so I reached out and I said, ‘Well, I would like to set up a zoom meeting with my cardiologists so he can explain my cardiac history.’ And they said that they understand, but their decision is final,” Candelaria says.
She says the district feels that she can’t do all of her job duties from home.
The Austin school district has decided to allow non varsity sports to resume next week, but other extracurricular activities will stay canceled. Kelly Ruxer, an AISD parent, tells KXAN that she thinks there’s an unfair bias towards sports, especially before the fine arts.
“But even before academics, sports will be the factor upon which people make decisions,” Ruxer says.
She is worried that the indefinite suspension of non sporting extracurriculars could have a long lasting impact and lasting damage in the fine arts for kids. Varsity sports are allowed to continue as of this week.
Round Rock vaccines
Ascension Seton will help vaccinate a number of Round Rock ISD teachers this week. Hospital officials say the vaccine will be given out Thursday to teachers falling in the high risk category. Interim Superintendent Dr. Daniel Presley says it won’t be mandatory.
“It’s not everybody who is eligible for a vaccine, but it’s making it available, making it as easy as possible,” Presley says.
Most who are eligible are over the age of 65. Doses will be provided at Ascension Seton Williamson. And if any doses are left over, then other staffers who are in Phase 1B will get vaccinated as well.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-1-5-21
