It’s been a busy 24 hours for local fire and police officials.
A house fire in south Austin claimed the lives of two people and injured several others. Firefighters responded just after 3:00pm to a residence in the 1000 block of S. Center Street.
Officials said four people and three dogs were in the home at the time of the fire, with two of the four people suffering fatal injuries. The other two had minor injuries. It’s unclear how many people lived in the home.
— Austin American-Statesman
At least one of the dogs perished in the blaze, although some reports say two dogs died. One person was reportedly in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, one person suffered minor injuries and was treated at a hospital while one other resident was treated at the scene.
According to Austin 311, there have been nearly a dozen service calls to the residence over the past two years.
Last night, just after 9:00pm, police were called to a shooting in southeast Austin on Riverside Dr. and I-35. (KXAN-TV)
Early this morning another shooting in southeast Austin, this time fatal, occurred around 2:00am in the 2000 block of Burton Drive at the Array Apartments. One man was taken to a hospital where he later died. No suspect is in custody at this time. The incident is the city’s 34th homicide of the year. (KEYE-TV)
A recently published report analyzing gun violence in Austin during a two-year period (2020-2021) shows the overwhelming majority of people who killed someone with a gun, or who were killed by someone using a gun were young Black men and that the vast majority of gun homicides occurred as the result of some kind of dispute. (Austin Chronicle)
A four-time felon has been indicted by a jury for alleged drug trafficking and firearm possession. 34-year-old Cliofa Delacruz was arrested by Austin police after ramming an APD cruiser while trying to evade arrest. He also had meth and a loaded gun inside his vehicle at the time. (FOX7 Austin)
The Austin Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit is seeking the community’s help in identifying a suspect in connection to an indecent exposure case that occurred at a Wal-Mart in South Austin last month.
Authorities are searching for the individual who is a white male, aged 30-40, 5’8″ to 5’10” tall with a brown beard. Anyone with any information should contact the Austin Police Department. A reward of up to $1000 may be available for information that leads to an arrest. (Austin Police Department)
Austin City Council members are set to vote today on a measure backed by the city’s EMS union that would require new hospitals beef up security, and encourage existing ones to do the same. (KXAN-TV)
The Downtown Austin Alliance has more than doubled the number of team members. The DAA created the team in May in response to the Austin Police Department’s staffing shortage. (KVUE–TV)
The Austin Public Library is turning to county sheriff’s deputies to address worsening safety and security issues across its system. (Community Impact)
Lisa Davis, an assistant police chief for the Cincinnati Police Department, and Jeffrey B. Norman, police chief at the Milwaukee Police Department, are the two finalists in Austin’s search for its next police chief. (Austin Monitor)
Austin’s Animal Services Office is launching a community survey aimed at gathering valuable feedback on animal services priorities. (AustinTexas.gov)
According to a new report from Realtor.com, Austin led the nation in dropping rent prices for the month of June. (Newsweek)
An Austin woman is gathering a petition to ban aerosol sunscreen use at Barton Springs Pool. (Culture Map Austin)
The 2024 Shoal Creek Shopping Cart Corral is happening July 27. Volunteers are needed to help remove litter and carts from Shoal Creek. (KXAN-TV)
22 school districts in Hays, Williamson and Travis counties were asked about their budgets for the 2024-25 school year. Only three reported balanced budgets for the fiscal year. (KUT 90.5)
Residents in and around Houston are still feeling the effects of Hurricane Beryl.
Austin FC fell 3-1 to FC Dallas on the road at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday night.
Eight former Texas stars will join Austin’s new professional volleyball team. (Daily Texan)
Overheard at SEC Media Days: Texas, Texas, Texas... (Washington Post)
Who has more pressure to succeed in the SEC this football season: Texas or Alabama?
Today we race through Texas history…in three minutes.
