DA Clears Austin Cop In Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting

AUSTIN, TX — The Travis County district attorney on Thursday said a review of an Austin police officer's actions in a fatal shooting has concluded, clearing him of an wrongdoing in the use of deadly force.

The case dates to Feb. 22, 2017, when officers were dispatched to the home of Morgan Rankins, 30, along the 7900 block of Appomattox Drive. An anonymous caller at the location told a 911 dispatcher that someone was trying to blow up the house. As two officers approached the house, a white Dodge Charger reversed from the driveway before turning to face officers at a high rate of speed, the DA's office recapped. Officers jumped out of the way before embarking on a high-speed chase of the vehicle, the DA's office added.

In the midst of the chase, Rankins went through a red light at William Cannon Drive, hitting and damaging another vehicle but didn't stop, the DA's investigation found. She then reversed her course and headed back south on Manchaca, toward where Officer Benjamin Rogers, who had followed events on police radio and was laying out “stop sticks” to puncture the Charger's tires and end the pursuit, according to the police account. By that time, Rogers had been told Rankins was carrying a knife, and was possibly trying to bait officers into shooting her, according to the DA's office.

Related story: Police ID Woman Killed By Officer Who Says She Came At Him With Knife

Rankins is said to have swerved toward the officer at one point, narrowly missing him. Seconds later, she crashed into a utility pole, causing the car to spin into a grassy area off Keilbar Lane, according to the official report. Rogers approached the crashed vehicle with his weapon drawn, as Rankins exited the car and moved toward him with a knife in her hand, the DA related.

Rankins is said to have ignored Rogers's commands to drop the knife and continued toward him. Fearing for his life, the officer discharged his firearm. The forensics portion of the investigation showed that he fired his duty weapon three times, and hit Ms. Rankins twice, according to the DA. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and a knife was later recovered from the grass where she fell, the DA noted.

"The Travis County District Attorney's Office has determined that the credible investigative facts establish that the officer's use of force was justified under applicable Texas law governing when an officer may use deadly force," the DA concluded in a statement. As a result, District Attorney Margaret Moore will not present this case to a grand jury for possible indictment, she said.

Get Patch's Daily Newsletters and Real Time Alerts

>>> Image via Shutterstock