Suspect Wrestles Stun Gun From Officer, Sends Five Cops To Hospital [UPDATED]

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX -- Details have emerged over a reported "scuffle" among officers responding to a disturbance call Wednesday night.

During a Thursday press conference, Sgt. David Boyd of the Austin Police Department said five officers were injured in a melee with a suspect, and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.

The scuffle broke out after a suspect wrestled away the stun gun of one of the officers, Boyd said.

The whole episode happened after police got to the 1100 block of South Pleasant Valley Road shortly after 6 p.m. when an altercation broke out between two men at the scene.

Boyd said the argument between the two men seems to have been centered on one forcing a pill in the other's mouth, forcing him to ingest it. The roommate of the victim then called 911 to report the incident, Boyd explained.

The suspect fled down Pleasant Valley Road where was met by police, including gang unit officers who happened to be in the neighborhood, Boyd said. That's when the suspect wrestled away one of their stun guns.

"They initially tried pulliing a taser on the subject," Boyd explained. "At some point during the scuffle with the subject, he was able to take the taser and taser one of the officers."

Boyd noted the prongs of the taser weren't engaged, but the stun gun was still used against the officers.

"More officers arrived on the scene, and during the scuffle the suspect took the taser and delivered several strikes with the butt end of the taser to the head of one of the officers that had responded, causing some serious lacerations on his head."

Three of the officers were able to return to duty quickly but the other two required longer stays, according to Boyd. The victim also is being treated, although Boyd didn't specify the extent of his injuries. One officer ended up having stapled stitches on his head, Boyd said.

One reporter asked Boyd for the suspect's name, but he didn't provide it pending the release of a formal affidavit.

Boyd was asked if perhaps the man was on some sort of drug that makes people get stronger during violent encounters. Boyd said he didn't know if this was the case Wednesday night, but did indicate some drugs give people the sensation of not feeling any pain and theorized this may have come into play.

"Some drugs cause people not to feel pain. we don't know if this [suspect] was on anything or not.

Boyd said the encounter was filmed by several police dash cams from a variety of angles, but the footage had yet to be examined.

The suspect has been charged with aggravated assault against a peace officer.

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From April 27:

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX -- A pair of Austin Police Department officers were injured in what media reports describe as a "scuffle," in southeast Austin Wednesday evening, but the circumstances are shrouded in mystery.

According to public safety officials responding to questions from the Austin American-Statesman and other media outlets, Austin-Travis County EMS crews responded to the incident shortly after 6 p.m.

Officers on the scene were themselves responding to an assistance call for a possible drug overdose in the 1100 block of South Pleasant Valley Road, Captain Darren Noak told the Statesman.

What prompted the scuffle -- and who the combatants were -- is still unknown. What was confirmed is that the police officers were transported to University Medical Center-Brackenridge for treatment of minor injuries.

A third man also was taken to the same hospital with minor injuries described as non-life-threatening.

This is a developing story, and Patch will provide more details as they become available.