Cop involved in 2011 shooting is fired

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo on Friday "indefinitely suspended" an officer for not following department procedure during the chase of a suspect in December during which several shots were fired.

"I have been a police officer for 26 years plus,' said Acevedo. "I've been involved in dozens and dozens of investigations, including many many officer-involved shootings. I've never seen a case where an officer's recollection was this poor. This much contradicted by the evidence."

Officer Chris Allen allegedly fired 10 shots and wounded suspect Todd Michael Zurovetz, who had stolen a vehicle from a residence on Feather Hill Road on Dec. 5.

On Friday, Acevedo said that firing as many as 10 rounds at a suspect were complete unnecessary and against APD policy.

Allen and Travis County Sheriff's Deputy Tracy Stirman were "no billed" by a Travis County jury in September.

According to news stories published in December, Allen and Stirman spotted a stolen truck and began a high-speed pursuit in rainy conditions on streets that ran through business and residential areas of Travis County.

The suspect, identified as Zurovetz, eventually rammed the stolen truck through the privacy fence of a home on Sawmill Drive and fled the scene on foot. He was spotted by several residents who saw him jump fences and move through the backyards of the neighborhood. 

The officers caught up with Zurovetz when he invaded the home of a couple on Aspen Creek Parkway.  The couple escaped through a bedroom window. When police arrived, the suspect backed out of the garage in the homeowner's car. 

Zurovetz allegedly refused to obey the officers' orders to halt, and was shot at by Allen as he sped away in the stolen car. Zurovetz continued to speed toward Deputy Stirman who was in his car a block away.