Photo: APD
APD Officer on Restricted Duty After Viral 6th Street Assault Video
An Austin police officer has been removed from patrol and placed on restricted duty following a viral video that captured him punching a man during a “crowd control” incident on 6th Street Friday night. The incident has reignited tensions between city leadership and the police department at a particularly vulnerable time for APD.
The Incident
Video from the Friday night incident shows an officer on top of someone, repeatedly punching him, before another officer joins in. The officer then appears to release a woman he was detaining and punches another person wearing an orange shirt. The disturbing footage quickly went viral on social media, drawing immediate condemnation from city officials.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that an unnamed officer has been removed from patrol and placed on restricted duty while the department, along with the Office of Police Oversight, investigates. APD has also identified additional body-worn camera footage and is investigating a second use-of-force incident from the same night.
The Victim
Court documents identify one of the individuals as Jonny Acuña-Jacobo, 19, who has been charged with assault on a peace officer and is being held in Travis County Jail on $10,000 bond.
Acuña-Jacobo spoke with KVUE-TV:
According to the affidavit, the officer claims Jacobo attacked him from behind while he was breaking up a fight, causing “immediate, sharp pain, and disorientation,” which led the officer to take Jacobo to the ground and punch him repeatedly to restrain him.
The person in the orange shirt who was also punched in the video has not yet been identified.
Political Fallout
Mayor Kirk Watson issued a forceful statement calling the officer’s actions “inexcusable and indefensible,” adding that “there is no room in APD for such violent behavior.” Watson explicitly called on Chief Davis to terminate the officer.
The Austin Police Association pushed back hard against the mayor’s comments. APA President Michael Bullock accused Watson of making a “knee-jerk reaction that undermines both due process and the principle of impartiality,” arguing that condemning an officer before an investigation is complete “sends a dangerous message to every member of law enforcement who serves this city”.
A Department Already Under Pressure
This incident comes at a critical moment for APD, which is struggling with significant morale, staffing, and oversight challenges:
Staffing Crisis: As of January 2025, APD had 330 officer vacancies, with academy classes averaging only 56 cadets compared to a capacity of 104.
Failed Recruitment Planning: A city audit released in April 2025 found that Austin police have not developed a comprehensive plan to recruit more officers, despite years of attrition at the department since 2020.
Training Academy Scrutiny: Just days ago, the city’s Public Safety Commission called for a full audit of the police training academy to evaluate progress on reforms…a move opposed by Bullock and the police union.
Union Tensions: The police union has been vocal in its opposition to increased oversight and criticism from city leadership, creating an adversarial relationship that this latest incident has only intensified.
What’s Next
Chief Davis has committed to a thorough investigation that will include a comprehensive review of all camera footage, interviews with officers and witnesses, followed by a hearing. She is encouraging anyone with additional information to contact APD’s Special Investigations Unit.
The incident underscores the delicate balance Austin faces: maintaining police accountability while trying to recruit and retain officers in an already understaffed department. With the mayor calling for termination, the union defending due process, and an ongoing city audit highlighting systemic recruitment failures, this case may become a defining moment for the future of policing in Austin.
For a department already facing 330 vacancies and struggling to fill academy classes, the reputational damage from viral videos of apparent excessive force could make an already difficult recruitment environment even more challenging.
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Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
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