AUSTIN, TX – An off-duty sheriff’s deputy was gunned down early Sunday morning while working a security gig at a popular Austin nightclub, and authorities say they’ve got the suspect in custody.
The deputy, who worked for the Caldwell County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office about 45 minutes south of Austin, was found in the parking lot of Club Rodeo with traumatic injuries just after 2 a.m. He was rushed to a local hospital but didn’t make it.
It took law enforcement less than a day to track down the shooter. By Sunday afternoon, a suspect was in handcuffs thanks to a massive multi-agency effort that included the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Austin Police Department’s air support and K-9 units, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Investigators haven’t released details about what led to the shooting or identified the suspect. The probe is still ongoing, and detectives are asking anyone who was at Club Rodeo around the time of the incident to come forward with information.
The Caldwell County Constable’s Office is keeping the deputy’s name under wraps for now out of respect for his loved ones.
“Out of respect for our Deputy and his family, we ask that their privacy be honored,” the office said in a statement.
Fellow law enforcement officers across the region are mourning the loss. The Caldwell County Precinct 2 office asked the public to “keep this Deputy’s family, loved ones, and our fellow deputies in your prayers as they navigate this heartbreaking loss.”
The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together exactly what happened in that parking lot.
