North Austin News

The Austin Police Department (APD) is currently investigating several incidents that occurred on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. The series of events took place at different locations across the city and involved various victims and suspects.

The first incident took place at approximately 10:43 a.m. on the 7200 block of Berkman Drive. An Austin Independent School District Police Department (AISD PD) officer was shot, prompting a response from multiple law enforcement agencies. The AISD officials provided a briefing on the incident, and APD is currently gathering information to further investigate the case.

At around 11:59 a.m., officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 7300 block of Shadywood Drive. Two victims, identified as Emmanuel Pop Ba and Sabrina Rahman, were found with gunshot wounds. Unfortunately, Pop Ba was pronounced dead at the scene, while Rahman was transported to a local hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. APD will be releasing a separate press release regarding these homicides.

Later in the day, at approximately 5:47 p.m., officers received a call reporting a shooting at 5701 West Slaughter Lane. A cyclist had been shot but was luckily taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The victim has since been released and is currently recovering.

In another incident at around 6:48 p.m., officers responded to a burglary of a residence in the 5300 block of Austral Loop. While confronting the male suspect, identified as Shane James, the officer was fired upon. The officer returned fire, but James was not hit. Tragically, two victims were found inside the residence with fatal injuries. The injured officer was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.

Shane James has been arrested and is now facing charges of Capital Murder. He is also booked for an outstanding Assault with injury family violence warrant, and further charges are anticipated.

Regarding the delay in sharing suspect information, the Austin Police Department would like to address the concerns of the community. The incidents at the Northeast Early College High School and the double homicide were initially believed to be separate incidents. However, as investigators reviewed evidence from both scenes, it was determined that the two incidents could potentially be linked. The department takes the safety of the community seriously and strives to share information in a timely and accurate manner.

In response to inquiries about the Blue Alert not being activated, APD explained that actionable intelligence is required for such alerts. Since there was no specific suspect or vehicle information to share, the threshold for activating a Blue Alert was not met. Additionally, the series of events did not qualify as an active shooting event under Texas House Bill 103.

APD is encouraging anyone with information about these incidents to contact their Special Investigations Unit at (512) 974-6840 or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. Tips can also be submitted online at austincrimestoppers.org, and anonymity is guaranteed.

The investigation into these incidents is ongoing, and APD is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.austintexas.gov/news/update-apd-provides-information-multiple-incidents-december-5-2023