Man faces murder charge after 23-year-old victim dies one day after downtown shooting

Image of Blake Washington (APD photo)

Posted: May 7, 2021 / 02:35 PM CDT

Updated: May 7, 2021 / 04:53 PM CDT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 56-year-old man accused of shooting another man in downtown Austin on Sunday now faces a murder charge after the victim died one day after the shooting.

The Austin Police Department said Blake Washington, 56, faces a murder charge in the shooting death of Christopher Bowser, 23, which took place in the 600 block of Neches Street at about 9:41 p.m. on May 2.

That night, APD said 911 got a call reporting someone had been shot in the east alley. When officers got there, they saw someone, later identified as Bowser, laying in the alley with a gunshot wound. Austin-Travis County EMS took Bowser to Dell Seton Medical Center where he went through surgery, APD said.

Detectives found out the shooting was recorded on video, and they were able to use the footage to find the suspect at a tent on 4th Street and Interstate 35, APD said. Police detained him as he left the tent and witnesses to the shooting said he was the suspect.

At first, Washington was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony. But on Monday, May 3 at 4:16 p.m., APD said Bowser was pronounced dead.

A first-degree murder charge with a $500,000 bond was filed against Washington on Thursday, May 6, APD said. On Friday, the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound in the manner of homicide.

KXAN has reached out to Washington’s attorney and will update this story when we hear back. According to APD, this is Austin’s 29th homicide so far this year.