Multi-burglary suspect shot in the arm

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Following two stolen cars, three house burglaries and shots fired from police, authorities have arrested the suspect after he barricaded himself inside a home on Brodie Lane. He's now charged with a parole violation and evading arrest.

For nearly three hours, SWAT tried to get Todd Zurovetz, 24, out of the home in the 10200 block of Brodie Lane. Police arrested him at 10:20 a.m. after using tear gas to get him out.

But before the arrest, police said he forced them to spend time tracking him down and shoot at him when he tried to get away.

Because the Travis County Sheriff's Department was searching for Zurovetz near Bowie High School off of Slaughter Lane, the school was on lockdown -- which was lifted later in the day. A few buses that go along Bowie Lane were rerouted Monday morning around the SWAT area to get to the school.

"My daughter is there [Bowie High School] and so she sent me a text message that people were basically screaming in the hallways, get in the classrooms, get into the classrooms," said resident Mark Adams.

"We live off of Leadville Drive, and there were multiple police officers with weapons drawn. And we heard four or five shots fired," KXAN News viewer William Gordon wrote in at 8:28 a.m. "Our neighbor was asked by the police to leave her house and is waiting in our home. We can still hear many sirens, but it sounds like the helicopter has gone away."

It all started Monday at 5:23 a.m. when police said Zurovetz broke into a home in the 9000 block of Feather Hill Road near the Westgate area and stole a truck, a loaded handgun and a box of ammunition. Police found that truck shortly before 7 a.m. on Manchaca Road, which turned into a police chase.

Police said Zurovetz wrecked the truck at 7:08 a.m. in the 3600 block of Sawmill Drive. Zurovetz allegedly bailed from the truck, and police chased him through the neighborhood.

Police said they spotted Zurovetz inside a home in the 3700 block of Aspen Creek Parkway at 7:32 a.m., when it seemed as though he was going to surrender. That's when Zurovetz allegedly sped out of the garage in another stolen car -- aiming it at police officers.

An Austin police officer and Travis County sheriff's deputy -- fearing for their life -- fired shots and struck the car and Zurovetz twice in the arm.

At 7:36 a.m., Zurovetz allegedly wrecked the car in the 10100 block of Brodie Lane and ran into a third house, where he barricaded himself inside. The residents inside the home managed to get away when Zurovetz allegedly ran in and refused to leave.

The SWAT team said they tried to negotiate with him but eventually had to use tear gas to get him to come out. That's when police discovered he was shot and took him to University Medical Center Brackenridge.

During negotiations, some of Zurovetz's family members showed up hoping to help police bring him out. David Wayne Zurovetz said he's the suspect's Dad.

"My son is a hard-headed bone head from Taylor, Texas," said Zurovetz.

"We were the closest civilians to it," wrote in KXAN News viewer Michael Dean at 8:31 a.m. "We were driving up Brodie in traffic when suddenly, this guy came running out of the house waving to some of the nearest police. And all of a sudden, there were at least 20 police cars coming in from all around us, blocking us off from going further north. Out came the guns and the shotguns and all that good stuff ... running all around us. We were directly in front of the house, and there were police with their guns drawn hiding behind trees and fences and taking position on the sides of the house and stuff. ... Finally, a plainclothes cop came out and made us go back the direction we came."

Police said Zurovetz is being held on felony warrants:  

• parole violation -- no bond  
• evading arrest -- $20,000 bond

"This subject obviously endangered this community, the community in Travis County and is facing -- in addition to that felony warrant -- additional criminal charges," said David Carter, APD assistant chief of staff.

Meanwhile, no officers were injured.