Police ID Suspect, Cops Involved In Officer-Involved Shooting

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Police on Monday identified the suspect and policemen involved in an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Friday.

The shooting occurred along the 6800 block of Shadywood Drive, near Bedicheck Middle School on Thelma Drive, police previously confirmed. Police initially responded to the 7:37 p.m. call as an assist to fire crews headed to put out a reported grass fire.

But as police later learned, the same suspect found to have started the small fire had been wandering through the neighborhood allegedly pointing a gun to himself and bystanders before being shot when police said he pointed the firearm at them.

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The suspect was identified as Mark Herrera, 48, police said. The officers who shot Herrera are Erin Littig and Ryan Mihalik, who have been on the Austin Police Department force for eight and two years, respectively. Both are assigned to southeast/southwest patrol.

As is standard protocol following officer-involved shootings, both officers have been placed on administratvie leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. In its press advisory, police said the case will be administratively investigated by APD’s Internal Affairs Unit and monitored by the Office of the Police Monitor. A concurrent investigation will be conducted by APD’s Special Investigations Unit, in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, police added.

Herrera's shooting by police marks the ninth time a civilian has been shot by police this year:

• On Jan. 26, Christopher Eric Giles, of Albuquerque, N.M., was fatally shot by police responding to a Central Austin home invasion.
• On Feb. 19, police fatally shot Thomas Vincent Alvarez, 23, after a Southeast Austin chase that ended at an apartment complex in the 4900 block of Edge Creek Drive, near the Onion Creek Greenbelt.
• On March 7, Victor Ancira, 46, was shot by officers March 7 while holding a pickax in the 4800 block of Tanney Street, near Springdale Road in East Austin.
• On March 12, Kyle Thomas Garcia, 24, was injured after exchanging gunfire with police along the 6200 block of La Naranja Lane.
• On March 25, police fatally shot a man in Southeast Austin said to have fired at officers, wounding one of them.
• On June 7, police fatally shot a woman inside a Southeast Austin home in the 7300 block of South Glenn Street. Police had gotten reports the woman was chasing others with a knife.
• On Aug. 3, officers wounded Craig Anthony Carter, 27, at Spicewood Springs Road and Mesa Drive following a chase through in Northwest Austin. Carter had allegedly assaulted his mother that day, and was said to have fired at police.

• On Aug. 17, eight officers opened fire on Aquantis Griffin 21, after they claimed he ran at them with a gun in an alley behind the Terminal 6 bar on 6th Street. Griffin was an up-and-coming rapper from Baton Rouge, La., according to family members who spoke to media outlets.

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>>> Photo of Mark Herrera from a previous booking via Austin Police Department