Shooting suspects still
at large

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Hundreds in one Northeast Austin neighborhood were told to stay inside their homes for more than nine hours Thursday. Some of the neighbors say they woke up to gun shots early Thursday morning and knew immediately it was likely drug-related. They were too afraid to let us show their faces or to give their names but say there is a lot of drug activity in the northeast Austin neighborhood.

Meanwhile other neighbors waited anxiously for word from police if it was safe to come outside. "I woke up to this early this morning they didn't even let the kids leave or nothing this morning," said Shaujuane Washington, a neighbor.

Another neighbor who has lived in the area for 15 years said it used to be a safe place to call home, "when I first moved over here it was a nice neighborhood," said John Maye. "Now it's beginning to get bad." With two suspects still on the loose, neighbors say they will not sleep well Thursday night either.

Residents are being asked to stay inside their homes in Northeast Austin as police track two remaining suspects armed with assault rifles.

The situation started just before 4 a.m. when the Austin Police Department responded to a call of shots fired in the 7600 block of Blessing Avenue . Two people were shot in the original incident. One person was wounded and taken to the hospital, while the other was not hurt and provided police with a description of the suspect's vehicle.

Just after 4 a.m., Austin police said they spotted the suspects in a red pickup truck before ensuing in a pursuit. The chase ended in the 6600 block of West Avenue, where the five suspects got out of the truck and exchanged gunfire with officers. One suspect wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying an AK-47 assault rifle was shot and killed, while four others escaped on foot. However, police said two suspects have been arrested. They are identified as Alfredo Sierra and Jorge Ugarte. Volivar Benitez is still on the loose. The other suspect is still unidentified.

Police are concentrating their search in the neighborhoods surrounding U.S. 290 East and Berkman Drive with SWAT team, K9 officers and air patrols searching for the suspects. Police sealed off the area that include Wheless Lane, Berkman Drive, Dorchester Drive and Patton Lane. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he believes officers have the suspects contained in the area.

Because of the on-going serious situation involving armed suspects that may take some time to resolve APD and the Austin Independent School District Police Department have directed that the following seven Austin campuses be closed Thursday.
 

AISD schools closed:

•     Reagan High School, 7104 Berkman Dr.
•     Andrews Elementary School, 6801 Northeast Dr.
•     Blanton Elementary School, 5408 Westminster Dr .
•     Harris Elementary School, 1711 Wheless Lane
•     Pickle Elementary School, 1101 Wheatley Ave .
•     Clifton Career Development Center, 1519 Coronado Hills
•     Pearce Middle School, 6401 N. Hampton Dr.

AISD officials said the latest attendance report shows:

• Reagan High School : 988 students
• Pearce Middle School : 516 students
• Andrews Elementary School : 630 students
• Blanton Elementary School : 547 students
• Harris Elementary School : 694 students
• Pickle Elementary School : 710 students

According to the police authorities, no one will be allowed into the affected areas until the situation can be resolved. AISD Transportation will not have buses running in the affected neighborhoods Thursday. All other Austin school campuses will operate on their regular schedules Thursday, and regular bus transportation to other schools will not be affected.

Though APD is not releasing the name of the officer who fired the fatal shot Thursday morning, he has been placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with APD policy.

Timeline of events surrounding incident

• 3:56 a.m.   911 gets call of shots fired at 7601 Blessing Ave .

• 4:00 a.m.  Officer sees suspect vehicle on Meador Ave . Pursuit Begins.

• 4:02 a.m.  Officer reports suspects ditching items out of the vehicle near Cameron Road Reagan Hill Drive .

• 4:04 a.m.  Pursuit ends on Patton Lane after the suspect vehicle wrecks out. Shootout begins. EMS called.

• 4:04 a.m.  Other suspects not shot flee on foot.

• 4:05 a.m.  Officer confirms no officers hit?only the suspect.

• 4:07 a.m.  APD starts calling for a perimeter to be drawn to catch suspects. SWAT called out, along with extra units.

• 4:16am     One suspect found barricaded in drainage ditch near Wheless Lane .

• 4:18am     AISD notified.