Austin residents react after man fires shots at Austin Code enforcement

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AUSTIN (KXAN) – “It’s very surreal. The oddities at ‘The Odd House’ in the neighborhood, ”said Brent Mayberry on Wednesday night.

The neighborhood on the 10600 block of Pinkney Lane was the site of an escalating series of events throughout the day. It all started with a visit to City of Austin Code Enforcement to mow a man’s lawn.

APD: Man at the center of the SWAT incident in the SW Austin neighborhood dead after shooting with an officer

According to the Austin Police Department, the situation began around 9:16 a.m. when Austin Code Department officials reported that they were doing lawn maintenance under a government warrant. The visit took a dangerous turn when APD said the man shot out of the house and then refused to come out.

The Austin Fire Department reported a fire at the same address on Wednesday at around 4 p.m.

The man was finally shot and killed by a SWAT officer after leaving the burning house through the garage with “guns in hand”, according to APD chief Joseph Chacon. He was taken to the hospital where he died.

Austin firefighters work to put out fire at home at 10616 Pinkney Lane in southwest Austin (Austin Fire Department Photo)

“I thought it would be abandoned for years,” Mayberry told KXAN on Wednesday. “Until you walk by… one day you hear music. And it’s like, ‘Wow. It’s kind of strange. ‘ It’s just a house that has been a mystery to anyone in the neighborhood while I’ve been here. “

Meanwhile, parents Matt Owens has a four-year-old in the neighborhood daycare and lives a few blocks away.

“You think you live in a safe community … you never know what’s wrong with people,” said Owens, who added that local officials did a good job of making residents feel safe.

Tyler Strickel was working on the interior design of a nearby store and said he first saw police cars “fly past” the area around 9:30 am. An officer once spoke to him and his colleagues.

“He came to the window and said, ‘Stay in there, it could have been a shot.’ It was a crazy morning, ”said Strickel.

During the incident, he overheard members of the SWAT team talking to someone over an intercom and lightning bolts.

“We heard a couple of loud distraction bangs and then within minutes the smoke came up. So at this point we’re a bit hidden, but you could see the smoke, I mean, visibly rising from this area. You could also see it from my house, ”said neighbor Camille Ross.

“This is a great neighborhood,” said Strickel. “I’m originally from here and just know that there are a number of elementary schools and preschools here, so it was definitely shocking.”

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