Man called police on himself before fatal shooting at NE Austin complex, APD says

A 63-year-old man shot and killed by Austin police on Tuesday after pointing what appeared to be a rifle at officers was the initial 9-1-1 caller, officials say.

The Austin Police Department says at around 1:18 p.m., they received a 9-1-1 call from a male at 1501 East Howard Lane, claiming a man was shooting a rifle in the parking lot of the apartment complex.The caller then hung up without providing more details.

The caller was later identified as Konrad Farad Khorshahian.

When two uniformed APD officers arrived at the scene minutes later, they reported seeing Khorshahian pointing what looked like a rifle at them as they drove through the lot. Multiple residents were also spotted walking in the area at the time.

APD says the officers took cover and repeatedly ordered Khorshahian to drop the weapon over the next few minutes. One officer said over the radio he was unsure if it was a rifle or a “pellet gun.” APD says Khorshahian yelled for the officers to shoot him.

At approximately 1:29 p.m., one officer fired his gun, striking and killing Khorshahian. Investigators later determined the man had been carrying a BB gun rifle, not a real rifle.

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No one else was harmed in the incident.

Per department policy, the officer who fired his weapon has been placed on leave pending an investigation. Officials plan to release body camera video from the incident within 10 days.