Body camera footage released from the Austin Police Department, shows the moments an officer utilized a shotgun to neutralize a suspect armed with a long-rifle.

The Austin Police Department (APD) continues to investigate the officer-involved shooting that occurred during the evening hours of Friday, December 24th, 2021. At approximately 10:36 p.m., APD responded to a 9-1-1 call of a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of US Highway 183 and Cameron Road. The caller stated a man was bleeding from his face.

Within moments of this initial 9-1-1 call, several separate 9-1-1 callers stated a shirtless, Hispanic man was walking in the area of the crash, and was carrying and waving around a black rifle. Further updates provided by the callers stated the man was now pointing the rifle at people and firing gunshots into the air. APD officers responded to the area and attempted to locate the crash and the man with the rifle.

At 10:56 p.m., an APD sergeant who was in the area of the 1900 block East Anderson Lane heard a gunshot. One minute later, an officer located the man, still carrying the rifle, on the sidewalk, walking southbound in the 2400 Block northbound on the frontage of US Highway 183. This male was later identified as Juventino Navejar.

The officer stopped his police vehicle, retrieved the department-issued shotgun, exited the vehicle, and gave commands to Mr. Navajer to drop the rifle. Mr. Navajer did not comply with those commands, and continued to move toward the officer while holding the rifle. The officer fired one round from the shotgun, striking the suspect, who fell to the ground.

The officer continued to give Mr. Navajer commands to drop the rifle and to move away from the weapon. As the officer continued to give commands, he was able to move the rifle away from Mr. Navajer. Additional APD officers responded to the scene, and immediately began life-saving measures on Mr. Navajer. Austin-Travis County EMS arrived on scene, treated Mr. Navajer, and transported him to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition. Mr. Navajer sustained serious injuries, however they are not life threatening. Witnesses and the officers on scene did not sustain physical injuries.