Overnight Homicide at Michelobos Marks Latest Chapter
Austin Police were called to the 900 block of East Braker Lane overnight to investigate a homicide — reportedly the city’s 32nd of the year — at the site of Michelobos Restaurant & Sports Bar.
They say gunfire broke out in the parking lot around 12:30 a.m.
Two people were shot. Both were taken to a local hospital where one of the two was pronounced dead. The other injured individual is being treated.
One other person, deemed a “person of interest” by police, is in custody.
APD’s Public Information Office confirmed officers were on scene and held a media briefing near the location around 2:45 a.m.
“So from my understanding, Michelobos has been rebranded, and this was the opening night of the rebrand. This may be related to the opening night of the new business here.” — Austin Zarling, APD Public Information Officer
This is the second fatal shooting tied to Michelobos in less than two years — and just the latest flashpoint at an intersection Austin Police have repeatedly labeled a “persistent violent crime hotspot.”
The bar’s troubles are well documented.
On November 1, 2024, 30-year-old Tyler Cochran was shot and killed in the parking lot after an argument escalated into gunfire; a Michelobos security guard then shot the accused gunman, 20-year-old Clayton Taitague, who survived and was charged with murder.
Police said the location had generated 61 calls for service in 2024 alone — nearly double the year before.
Nearly a year later, in September 2025, the pressure came to a head.
APD’s Organized Crime Division — including its Gang, Human Trafficking and Major Crime Suppression Unit — joined the FBI, Austin Fire, TABC and city code enforcement in a large-scale operation targeting Michelobos and the neighboring club Diablas.
TABC found Michelobos had been illegally storing alcohol off-site and issued a 90-day emergency order suspending its alcohol sales; agents also seized firearms and illegal gambling machines.
The City of Austin followed with a nuisance abatement lawsuit against the shopping center’s owners, Michelobos, Diablas, and the individuals managing them, seeking a permanent injunction. Since March 2023, APD says the location has drawn 430 calls for service, 78 arrests, 10 shooting investigations and one homicide.
This overnight killing is raising fresh questions about whether raids, fines and litigation have done anything to change what happens at 900 E. Braker Lane — a stretch of road that keeps generating crime tape.
Sources:
- Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police), X post, July 5, 2026
- KVUE, “Austin police launch crime reduction effort targeting shopping center on East Braker Lane”
- AustinTexas.gov, “Austin Police Launch New Crime Reduction Strategy in Northeast Austin”
- Yahoo/MySA, “How a Texas ‘crime den’ raided by police threatened its neighbor shops”
- CBS Austin, “Man charged with first-degree murder after NE Austin nightclub shooting”
- KXAN, “MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2026?”
It was a violent night in Texas.
Six people were shot, including a suspected gunman, in San Antonio last night. One person died from their injuries.
In Fort Worth, one person was killed and one was hospitalized in unknown condition after a shooting Saturday night at a gathering near Lake Arlington.
In Houston, a neighbor confronted another neighbor over fireworks and two people were shot.
Round Rock Police and Williamson County EMS responded to the HEB on Greenlawn & Louis Henna yesterday for an unresponsive male individual in a car.
There’s been no information on the circumstances of the apparent death of the individual.
Manor police report arresting a 14-year-old male after a brief pursuit last night. Austin authorities say he stole the vehicle in an aggravated robbery in the city earlier.
A Manor man surrendered to law enforcement Thursday in connection with a deadly April 3 Northwest Austin shooting that left one man dead.
According to US Marshals, task force members developed investigative leads that led them to an apartment complex in the 10500 block of Wildhorse Ranch Trail in Manor. After law enforcement officers surrounded the apartment, 23-year-old Jaylon Plummer barricaded himself inside before eventually surrendering without incident. (KXAN-TV)
Multiple grass fires broke out Saturday night across parts of Central Texas, sparked by fireworks activity, according to Travis County Fire Rescue.
A 100-plus acre blaze in Burnet County is almost under control.
The City of Austin celebrated 250 years of freedom along the shores of Lady Bird Lake last night.
There were celebrations in communities all around the ATX.
Zipline, the world’s largest autonomous drone delivery company, is expanding service into Austin later this year, bringing food, groceries and even prescriptions straight to customers’ yards. (Austin American-Statesman)
WEATHER
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CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
SUNDAY PODCASTS
In celebration of the United States of America’s 250th birthday, we posed a simple question to some of our favorite critics, columnists and editors across the New York Times newsroom, people who write about books, movies, TV shows, science, sports, wellness and food. We asked: What’s the most American thing on your beat?
A new state law will make it easier for developers to bring multi-family housing to a neighborhood near you. While the goal is affordability, some city leaders are warning about unintended consequences, such as unchecked growth that overwhelms local infrastructure. We headed to the Dallas suburb of Plano for this episode of Y’all-itics, where the Jasons learned flushing toilets could be a sign of development danger.
The guys discuss a week of drama-filled musical chairs in two state offices and the landmark rulings issued by the U.S. Supreme Court at the end of its term.
(Episode from July 4, 2026)
In the 2026 campaign, it’s the women in the Texas Democratic Party who are addressing the nitty-gritty, eye-level issues that voters of all stripes really seem angry about this year: School closures and data centers. And that merits a substantive discussion of the governor’s race in which Gina Hinojosa is going right at Abbott on both.
Plus: An election denier gets an elections job with Gov. Abbott and Texas House Democrats are coming under increased pressure to dump Speaker Dustin Burrows when he runs for reelection to hold the gavel next year.
(Episode from July 3 ,2026)
In the July 5 episode, newly elected Republican Party of Texas chair D’rinda Randall tells us why the GOP is holding a midterm convention in Dallas and why they think it’s important.
Meantime, newly re-elected Texas Democratic Party chair Kendall Scudder explains why he thinks the midterm convention is a sign the GOP fears the midterms.
And State Board of Education member Tiffany Clark says now that the Bible will be required reading in public schools, the government is taking control of classrooms.
A year after catastrophic flooding in Texas, the Sandy Creek neighborhood in northwest Travis County is still deep in recovery mode.
(Episode from July 3, 2026)
This weekend marks a year since the deadly and devastating Hill Country floods. Now, a final report is out for the Texas Legislature on what happened at Camp Mystic one year ago.
We’ll also hear from a University of Texas at Arlington researcher developing a comprehensive warning system to save future lives.
Also, the story of the Hill Country couple hailed as heroes in the aftermath of last year’s flooding.
Mando Rayo on a trained group of volunteers formed after Mexico City’s 1985 earthquake who came from Mexico to help with the Hill Country flood relief.
And the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
(Episode from July 3, 2026)
It has been one year since the tragic flash flood on the upper Guadalupe River that took over 117 lives. Why were local officials caught off guard when the rains came and the flooding hit? The region is called “flash flood alley,” and there is a long history of tragic floods on the river. We hear the second episode of the Texas Newsroom podcast, “After the Flood.”
(Episode from July 2, 2026)
SPORTS
World Cup Round of 16: Morocco and France advance, Sunday sets up Brazil-Norway and Mexico-England
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP: Morocco delivered the biggest statement of the round on July 4, thumping co-host Canada 3-0 to reach the quarterfinals.
France narrowly got past Paraguay 1-0 in the day’s late kickoff. Those results followed Colombia’s tense 1-0 win over Ghana in the early hours of July 4 to close out Friday’s action.
The knockout stage continues today with two more Round of 16 matchups: Brazil takes on Norway (3:00 PM CDT), followed by Mexico against England (7:00 PM CDT) as the host nation looks to keep its tournament alive.
MLB: Texas’s two MLB teams split the holiday: the Rangers fell to the Detroit Tigers at home Saturday afternoon, while the Astros held off the Tampa Bay Rays in Houston that evening.
Both teams made some news concerning the upcoming All-Star Game.
Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer off Casey Legumina with no outs in the ninth inning to cap a big night and give the Houston Astros a 10-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. (Associated Press)
Riley Greene hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Jack Flaherty pitched three-hit ball over 5 2/3 innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 3-0 on Saturday. (Associated Press)
ON THE SCHEDULE
Jacob Latz is heading to Philadelphia.
The Texas Rangers closer was named to the American League All-Star roster Saturday night, capping a breakout first half that has seen him emerge from bullpen afterthought to one of baseball’s most reliable relievers. Latz, who owns an 1.71 ERA and 18 saves — matching his total from the previous three seasons combined — will be the Rangers’ lone representative at the Midsummer Classic on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park.
Yordan Alvarez is starting the All-Star Game — again.
The Houston Astros slugger was named the American League’s starting designated hitter Saturday after finishing as the league’s top overall vote-getter in fan balloting, an automatic honor reserved for each league’s leading vote total. Alvarez enters the Midsummer Classic in the thick of the AL MVP race, hitting .319 with 27 home runs, 61 RBI and a major-league-best 1.055 OPS. It marks his third career All-Star selection and second All-Star start.
In other Astros news…
NHL: Jamie Benn signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Dallas Stars on Friday. He can make an additional $1.15 million in performance bonuses. (NHL)
NBA: The Dallas Mavericks signed first-round pick Sergio De Larrea, the team announced Friday. (Dallas Morning News)
The Mavericks’ new head coach, Dusty May, has added a unique name to his staff, bringing on 16-year NBA veteran Garrett Temple. (Sports Illustrated)
Last night’s display over downtown Austin as captured from above by YouTuber Stephen Mack.
