Standoff With Man In Crisis Prompts South Austin Street Closures

SOUTH AUSTIN, TEXAS — A barricaded man described as likely suicidal and possibly armed sparked a three-hour standoff with police on Wednesday evening, officials said.

A perimeter was secured around the scene along the 4300 block of South 1st Street south of Ben White Boulevard as police urged members of the public to avoid the area. All roadways on South 1st between Philco Drive, St. Elmo Road. and Radam Lane have been shut down as police continue to coax the person out, according to police.

Police also evacuated a nearby restaurant as an added precaution, Austin police officer Destiny Winston later told reporters. The standoff began with a call to police from a local business before the caller hung up almost immediately after reaching police, Winston said.

The man eventually emerged from the building and was promptly taken to a hospital for medical evaluation.

Winston declined to provide further details.

Winston explained the tactic of local police to send out a full arsenal of military-grade equipment — armored vehicles, battering rams, door-breaching robots and more — at such scenes, saying the response is taken when police believe a person might be armed. But in saying so, Winston didn't specify if the man in crisis was, in fact, armed or what may have led police to believe that he was.

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