4 dead, including Texas police officer, during hostage standoff: 'Very tragic incident'

AUSTIN, Texas — Four people were left dead, including a responding SWAT officer who was killed in a shootout with the suspect, during a hostage standoff in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, authorities said.

Austin police officers responded to a 911 call requesting help at a residence in south Austin shortly before 3 a.m. on Saturday. According to interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson, a woman was heard screaming for help on the call and said she was being stabbed.

Responding officers noted that a suspect, who was armed with a knife, was inside the home with two victims, Henderson said. A third victim escaped before officers arrived and was taken to a local hospital for her injuries.

Police attempted to enter the home but retreated when they were met with gunfire, according to Henderson. SWAT officers were called for backup and forced themselves inside the home, Henderson added.

"SWAT officers arrived on scene and forced entry into the residence... to rescue the victims,” Henderson said during a news conference Saturday. “As SWAT officers entered, the suspect immediately fired his gun at the officers and the SWAT officers returned fire.”

Two officers and the suspect were hit by the gunfire, according to Henderson. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene and the two officers were transported to a hospital, where one died and the second officer was said to be in stable condition.

Officers found "two apparent victims of the suspect" with fatal injuries inside the residence, Henderson said.

"This has been a very tragic day, a very tragic incident for all involved," Henderson said during the news conference.

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Officials identify SWAT officer killed in shooting

Jorge Pastore was identified as the SWAT officer who was shot and killed in the shooting, according to a statement from Henderson.

Pastore has been described as having a "big personality" and being the kind of guy who was "always smiling, always happy and always proud to be in uniform" by those that knew him.

"His whole career, his whole life was ahead of him," said Dennis Farris, former Austin police officer and president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association. "We truly are worse off today because he's not with us anymore. Austin has lost a true hero."

Officials have not released the names of the victims and other officer involved in the incident.

Austin police to conduct investigation into incident

Several officers had opened fire during the shooting and Henderson said the incident will be investigated by the Austin Police Department’s internal affairs division and the department’s special investigation unit. The investigation will also be done in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.

She noted the investigation is in its early stages and that details are subject to change.

On Sunday, there was still a police presence at the residence, disrupting the usually quiet demeanor of the neighborhood. Parts of the street were tapped off and officers were walking in and out of the house.

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When was the last time an Austin officer was shot on duty?

This marks the first time in more than a decade that an Austin police officer has died in an on-duty shooting. The last officer to die in an on-duty shooting was officer Jaime Padron in April 2012.

Since Padron's death in 2012, COVID-19 and car crashes have killed six more officers in the line of duty, according to the Austin Police memorial page.

The Austin Police Retired Officers Association published a post on X, formerly Twitter, commenting on the recent officer's killing.

"Our hearts are heavy this morning with the news of one of our brothers with APD having been shot and killed in the line of duty," the post said. "Please pray for his family all the APD family and for the speedy recovery of a second officer wounded in the same incident."

Contributing: The Associated Press