Texas man shot by police in southwest Austin SWAT standoff last week identified

By Editor On Nov 2, 2021

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AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police on Monday identified the man who died after being shot dead by an officer during a SWAT patch attack in southwest Austin last week. The officer’s name was also published.

According to police, the man involved was 56-year-old Robert Bruce Richart, and the officer who shot him was Officer Eric Strnad, who served with the APD for just over eight years.

APD: Man dead at the center of the SWAT incident in SW Austin after shooting a police officer, house fire

According to the APD standard protocol, Strnad was taken on administrative leave after the incident.

APD says the shooting was taped with a body camera and the department is working to find other video sources. APD says it “remains committed to transparency” and will attempt to post a video of the event within 10 working days of the event.

This video will be shown during a live press conference streamed on APD’s social media accounts, the department says.

The department will also conduct two investigations: a criminal investigation by the APD Special Investigations Unit with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and an administrative investigation by the APD Internal Affairs Unit with the Office of Police Oversight.

The man in the SWAT situation did not have a violent history during the code visits, officials say

What APD says happened that day

The situation happened last Wednesday at the house at 10610 Pinkney Lane. Just after 9:15 am, APD officials helped Austin Code execute a search warrant for molestation and downsizing of the house.

Police said officers left a copy of the search warrant on the front door and Austin Code contractors began maintenance on the home’s yard after being unable to reach the resident.

At around 10:21 a.m., officials reported that someone in the house shot them, APD says. The officers helped get Austin Code staff and contractors to safety.

Officers tried to reach the person in the house but were unsuccessful, APD says.

“The Odd House”: Local residents react after a man fires shots at enforcement of the Austin Code

SWAT, psychiatric officers and a crisis negotiator arrived at the scene at around 10:43 a.m. Officials say de-escalation techniques were used, but officers were unable to make contact with Richart for several hours.

At 3:19 p.m., SWAT officers were in the back yard when the man in the house started shooting at them. “The subject fired many shots at the officers,” says APD.

At that point, the officers used a robot to enter the front door. According to APD, the robot showed that a fire had started inside and was spreading quickly. More gunshots could be heard at this time.

For another 20 minutes, the officers asked the man in the house to come out. He didn’t listen, says APD. Officials saw the house completely ablaze, and Austin Fire jumped in to put it out.

Austin firefighters work to put out fire at home at 10616 Pinkney Lane in southwest Austin (Austin Fire Department Photo)
SWAT situation on Pinkney Lane in southwest Austin on October 27, 2021 (KXAN Photo / Frank Martinez)
SWAT situation on Pinkney Lane in southwest Austin on October 27, 2021 (KXAN Photo / Frank Martinez)

At 3:39 p.m. the garage door of the house opened and the man left the garage “with guns in hand,” says APD. Then SWAT officer Strnad fired at Richart and hit him.

APD says Richart fell to the ground and officers disarmed him and took him away from the house fire. The officers started to give him medical help.

According to APD, firefighters continued to fight the fire, eventually extinguishing it and preventing it from spreading to other homes.

Austin-Travis County Ambulance Services took Richart to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:01 pm

No national standard to protect inspectors, proponents say

An Austin Code employee was slightly injured during the incident, APD says, and they were also rushed to hospital for treatment.

APD says it is still in the early stages of its investigation. Anyone with details about this incident is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-TIPS or use the new Crime Stoppers app.

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