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  • cycleguy2300

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    I cannot find any legal justification to shoot. Man was OC'ing on his own property.
    He wasn't just open carrying... he was shooting into a house. I haven't looked into the call text and won't, but I don't think officers knew it was his own residence, but even if they did, it was a justified use of deadly force.

    At most it was unfortunate, but they guy looks to be having a psychotic episode. He didn't call 911, he is talking to himself, he is shooting into a house...

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    cycleguy2300

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    Austin PD's Statement:

    At approximately 12:28 a.m., Austin 9-1-1 Communications received a call regarding a man with a gun across the street from 2301 South 3rd Street in the area of 2nd Street and Fletcher Street. The caller stated a white male, wearing a grey robe and dark pants was pointing a rifle down the street. At 12:30 a.m., APD officers were dispatched to the call.

    The caller remained on the phone line with Austin 9-1-1 Communications while officers responded to the scene. The caller said the man was pointing his rifle at the interior of his home. The caller then stated the man just fired into his own home. The caller said the police were on scene and the man fired again. The man who fired the rifle was later identified as Rajan David Moonesinghe. The address where Mr. Moonesinghe was located was later identified as 2216 South 3rd Street.

    Officer Daniel Sanchez and Officer Stephen Markert, driving separate marked police vehicles arrived at approximately 12:33 a.m., three minutes after the initial call was dispatched. As Officer Markert pulled up to the residence, he heard gunshots and realized that he was directly in front of where Mr. Moonesinghe was located. Both Officer Sanchez and Officer Markert then drove past the residence. Officers Sanchez and Markert exited their vehicles.

    Officer Sanchez was the first to observe Mr. Moonesinghe and gave him a verbal command to drop the gun. Immediately after telling Mr. Moonesinghe to drop the gun, Officer Sanchez fired his Department approved firearm at Mr. Moonesinghe. Mr. Moonesinghe was struck and fell to the ground.

    Officer Markert who had just exited his vehicle made contact with Officer Sanchez. Officer Markert gave verbal commands to Mr. Moonesinghe to show his hands. The officers did not receive a response from Mr. Moonesinghe. Both officers observed the rifle on the ground near Mr. Moonesinghe. Officer Brito then arrived on scene and all three officers approached Mr. Moonesinghe who was still located on the porch of the residence with the rifle nearby. The officers immediately began life-saving measures.

    The front door was open and officers could see into the residence. Officer Brito gave verbal commands from the open front door to check for anyone who may have been injured or inside of the residence. Officers checked the residence and did not locate anyone inside the residence.

    At approximately 12:37 a.m., Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) arrived on scene and continued life-saving measures. ATCEMS transported Mr. Moonesinghe to a local hospital where Mr. Moonesinghe succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. Civilians and officers on scene did not sustain physical injuries.

    The rifle observed on the ground near Mr. Moonesinghe and several spent shell casings were recovered and seized as evidence. This incident was captured on both body-worn camera, dash camera, and other video sources. Body-worn and dash camera videos do not always capture everything the officer or witnesses saw or experienced during the incident; however, the footage helps us understand what occurred.

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    candcallen

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    I’m more interested in knowing what the officers saw with their own eyes that justified the shoot. Second hand eyewitness accounts are basically worthless.
    From the video at least 2 officers were on the street going by when he shot.

    I'm thinking suicide by cop then change of heart too late. Almost as he waited for the cops to arrive to fire the weapon.

    Just a feeling by watching the video.
     

    deemus

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    From the video at least 2 officers were on the street going by when he shot.

    I'm thinking suicide by cop then change of heart too late. Almost as he waited for the cops to arrive to fire the weapon.

    Just a feeling by watching the video.


    $20 says this guy has a history of mental illness, maybe Schizophrenia.
     

    cycleguy2300

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    $20 says this guy has a history of mental illness, maybe Schizophrenia.
    Being extremely manic could present like this with, delusions/paranoia that cause him to think people were in his home and that going outside and shooting into the house was a good idea.

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    deemus

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    Being extremely manic could present like this with, delusions/paranoia that cause him to think people were in his home and that going outside and shooting into the house was a good idea.

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    I knew a guy who was Schizophrenic and he always thought someone was out to get him. (They weren’t) He had several episodes with weapons. Heard he had once unloaded a pistol into the floor to take out his imagined aggressors.

    But it took him asking a cop to borrow his pistol to “take care of a neighbor problem” to get him committed. That was him “being a danger to himself or others” that was required to be institutionalized.

    Theres a lot of people that need to be locked up for everyone’s protection that can’t be because the right person hasn’t heard them be threatening.
     

    Renegade

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    Discharge of a rifle is a crime. He wasn’t JUST carrying on his property.

    And if he was engaging someone he could have called 911 first since he was outside his home shooting.
    Not a crime in many places, and not a crime if it is in defense. No requirement to call 911 first. This is Texas not Kalifornia.
     
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    Renegade

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    No warning is required, not to mention he can see the police cars...

    Guy is in public, shooting into an unknown house with a rifle as police arrive. He turns towards the police and they tell him drop the gun as the fire an the person who very reasonably is believed to be presenting a deadly threat to not only the officers but others.

    Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

    I have zero problems with this shoot.

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    Didn’t say a warning was required.

    My understanding of the facts is it was his property and his house, so not in public and not an unknown house.

    What others? Can officer articulate he saw others in immediate danger? No he can’t cause there weren’t any.

    Could guy have handled it better and still be alive? Yes. Still many facts as to why he was running around with gun need to come out, could have been 5150.

    Folks would be singing a different tune if deceased was neighbor police officer who just shot a home invader and now got whacked by another PO

    My point is shooting officer had time to further assess situation before firing as nobody was in danger.
     

    Renegade

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    Also, I think the officer handled it correctly except for shooting him without giving him time to comply with his command.

    Would like to hear officer explanation for that.

    This is a lesson for anybody - when uniforms show up, do not have gun in hand.
     

    candcallen

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    Little Elm
    Looking back at the video.... he knew the cops were there, if he was in his right mind. As he saw them drive by then fired. He had already been shooting prior based on calls. He turned to walk to the cops with the gun essentially at the low ready and looked to be starting to move tword the cop in the middle of his challenge.

    So will I fault the cop as in scream he executed the guy? He'll no. Would I rather have seen a little more time to respond to the challenge? Maybe but I'm sure anyone could articulate they basically had containment of a serious threat to everyone in the area and letting him walk into the open was a bad idea given the circumstances.

    I can see both side to this argument and a tie goes to the guy not shooting in his own home neighborhood while hollering at imaginary friends.
     

    cycleguy2300

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    Not a crime in many places, and not a crime if it is in defense. No requirement to call 911 first. This is Texas not Kalifornia.
    When the cops showed up to an emergency where someone was shooting into a house, the subject turned toward the officers with a rifle and the officers fired on him.

    Really, what do you expect them to do? Wait for an unknown person already shooting into a house shoot them first? Never!

    Dead guy created the situation that ended his life. No one but him is to blame.



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    gll

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    Not a crime in many places, and not a crime if it is in defense. No requirement to call 911 first. This is Texas not Kalifornia.
    Yeah, I'm really glad I live in a place where I can step outside at night, fire a couple rounds (even at my own house, if I please), and not get a response from either neighbors or police...

    I won't say it happens often, or regularly, but it happens... a couple rounds fired at night, by me or someone else... If ever the shooting continued past a couple, I might just go to the neighbors aid!

    I see where this episode had different rules, but I don't much like those rules.
     
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