Austin Police Video Of Alex Gonzales Shooting Released

Austin TX

28 April, 2021

12:44 PM

Description

Editor's note: We have attached the released body and dash cam footage into this story. Several warnings have been placed near the videos as they show graphic and violent content that may be difficult for some to watch. AUSTIN, TX — Austin police released body and dash cam footage Wednesday of a deadly police shooting that killed Alexander Gonzales and injured his girlfriend in January. The videos the department released depict two shootings connected to the Jan. 5 incident that took place in the 2500 block of Wickersham Lane in South Central Austin. The first shooting involved off-duty officer Gabriel Gutierrez, who has been with the department for five years, and the second involved on-duty officer Luis Serrato, who has been with the department for two years has served with the Patrol division. Authorities said the two shootings will be investigated as two separate incidents. In a video statement released by the department, the first incident took place around 12:33 a.m. when Gutierrez called 911 to say he was involved in a shooting. According to the 911 call, Gutierrez was traveling southbound on Wickersham Lane when he was cutoff by Gonzales in his personal vehicle. He described the event as a "road rage incident." In his depiction, Gutierrez said he saw Gonzales pull out a gun, point it at him, and shots were fired before he called 911 to report the incident. The 911 call is featured in the video below. Warning: The videos show graphic and violent content that may be difficult for some to watch. According to police, Gonzales began to drive away and Gutierrez followed him. Gonzales eventually came to a stop and the cars "aligned momentarily." Gutierrez fired multiple shots into the vehicle before Gonzales' car moved "out of frame"and parked. Gonzales was shot and his "face covered in blood," Gutierrez said in the 911 call depicted in the video. The off-duty officer said Gonzales was standing by the car and held his hands up while his girlfriend was lying on the ground calling out her for "her baby." During the call, Gutierrez could not confirm if the two had a child in the car. At 12:37 a.m., officer Serrato and another officer approached the incident in a marked patrol car wearing their department-issued uniforms. They were the first officers on-scene, officials said. As Gutierrez walked away from the action, the two officers began giving commands to Gonzales. Gonzales moved around his car and tried to open one of the car doors as officers shouted at him in English and Spanish to not reach inside, the video shows. When Gonzales reached into the car, that's when Serrato fatally shot him. Ten shots were fired at Gonzales, based off the on-duty officer's dash cam and body cam footage. Below are clips of Serrato's body cam and dash cam footage. Warning: The videos show graphic and violent content that may be difficult for some to watch. At 12:46 a.m., EMS arrived at the scene. Gonzales was pronounced dead five minutes later. His girlfriend was injured in the shooting and taken to a local hospital. After the shooting, an infant child was found in the car. The baby was unharmed and was also taken to a local hospital, officials said in the video. Police said they later found a gun at the scene located on the driver's side of the floorboard. Authorities have launched two investigations into the incident. One of the investigations will focus on officer Gutierrez and the officer-involved shooting that injured both Gonzales and his girlfriend. The second will focus on officer Serrato and the second officer-involved shooting that led to Gonzales' death. Both Gutierrez and Serrato were placed on paid administrative leave and later assigned to administrative duty as per police protocol. APD's Internal Affairs Unit has launched an internal investigation with monitoring from the Office of Police Oversight and APD's Special Investigations Unit and the Travis County District Attorney's Office has launched a criminal investigation. In January, community organizers criticized the Austin Police Department for how they have handled this case and for other times when Austin police officers have killed people.