Officers who killed Austin gunman won't face charges

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The officers who changeable and killed the antheral who gunned down people enjoying a nighttime retired successful Austin volition not look a expansive assemblage hearing, contempt archetypal disorder implicit the territory attorney's argumentation of sending each constabulary shootings to a expansive assemblage for review.

Travis County DA Jose Garza said Tuesday that suggestions that helium would question charges successful the sidesplitting were "intentionally false" and governmental successful nature, calling the officers heroes. "It should spell without saying that my bureau is not seeking immoderate charges and would not question charges," he said. "The accounts to the contrary are false, intentionally false, and are being peddled for evident governmental reasons."

His connection came connected the heels of governmental backlash, arsenic Republican lawmakers reacted to quality that lawyer Douglas O'Connell had been retained by the Austin Police Association to spot the 3 officers done a imaginable expansive assemblage probe.

"This… is INSANE," Sen. Ted Cruz posted to X.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott chimed successful to decry the DA's policy: "These constabulary officers are heroes who saved lives. Whatever the DA does, I volition person the last accidental successful the destiny of these officers," helium posted to X connected Tuesday.

The officers arrived wrong minutes of the shooting, a small aft 1:30 a.m. Sunday, shooting and sidesplitting the gunman, identified arsenic 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne. Diagne, who had an AR-style firearm and a Quran successful the SUV helium was driving, changeable a handgun done the model of his conveyance astatine a assemblage enjoying a nighttime retired astatine a bar, sidesplitting 3 and wounding a dozen.

Garza campaigned connected a argumentation to nonstop each constabulary shooting lawsuit to a expansive assemblage for reappraisal and has done truthful since helium took bureau successful 2021. A peculiar investigations portion wrong the constabulary section typically looks into immoderate constabulary shootings oregon allegations of misconduct, according to a root acquainted with the process. The findings are sent to the DA's office, which is often already conducting its ain investigation.

Garza did not respond to CBS News' petition for remark connected this story.

Michael Bullock, president of the Austin Police Association, accused Garza of creating an situation of distrust.

"I admit that DA Garza has publically stated helium volition not question immoderate charges against our officers," Bullock said successful a connection posted to X. "My anticipation is that the DA understands helium has built a dysfunctional and distrusting narration with instrumentality enforcement successful Travis County," helium said.

O'Connell said the 3 officers helium is representing recognize and respect the officer-involved shooting reappraisal process. Their main interest had been the anticipation of a lengthy expansive assemblage proceeding.

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