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3 Texas cops injured in shooting as gunman with 'mental health issues' holds family members hostage at home

Negotiators were deployed outside the home to reach a peaceful resolution

CEDAR PARK, TEXAS: Three cops were injured in shooting on Sunday, August 16, while responding to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance in a suburb of Austin, police in Texas said. Three persons related to the suspect who shot at the officers were being held hostage inside a house in Cedar Park hours after the shooting, Mike Harmon, interim police chief for the Cedar Park Police Department, informed at a press briefing on Sunday night. He said all three officers were in stable condition.

Divulging the details, Harmon said the officers got a call for service around 3:10 pm from a woman who said her 20-something son -- suffering from mental health issues -- had kicked in the door and was “acting very aggressive”. He said when the cops reached the spot, they were welcomed with gunfire. The policemen also shot back and it was not known whether the suspect was hit, the police chief said.

“But three of our officers did receive gunshot wounds from the suspect,” Harmon said, adding that the suspect then barricaded himself inside the house with three other members of the family -- his mother, a child and another person. Negotiators were deployed outside the home to reach a peaceful resolution.

On Sunday the Cedar Park Police tweeted: "We are on scene of a shooting where multiple Cedar Park Police Officers have been shot while responding to a call at a home off Natalie Cove."

"We do have a message for the suspect inside, and please take this to heart," Harmon said. "We want to end this peacefully for everybody involved. For the suspect inside, for the hostages that are inside, for the officers that are on the scene, for everybody. So please, if you're listening to this, please come out and surrender yourself peacefully so we can resolve this situation tonight."

Residents of the town were advised to stay indoors till the matter was resolved. Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed his sympathy for the injured police officers in a statement, saying: “Our hearts are with the police officers who were injured while protecting the Cedar Park community this afternoon. We must never take for granted the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers, and the State of Texas stands ready to provide the support and resources needed to bring justice to those involved. I ask that all Texans join Cecilia (Abbott's wife) and me in prayer for the these officers, and for the safety of all law enforcement officers across the state.”

The police chief visited the injured officers in hospital and thanked the local community for extending support. A law-enforcement source at Ground Zero said one officer was shot in the arm, FOX 7 Austin reported. Another was hit on his chest but his vest protected him. The third had a close shave as a bullet grazed his head.
 
A number of ambulances were seen near the scene besides several SWAT units. Witnesses told KVUE that they heard several gunshots and law-enforcement officials were deployed on the scene.