Suspect Who Shot At Officers In East Austin Still At Large

AUSTIN, TX — A shooting involving officers in East Austin prompted a nearby school to be locked down as officer attempted to serve a warrant, officials said.

In a subsequent news conference, Austin Police Department Chief Brian Manley said the incident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. along the 6100 block of Manor Road when officers tried to serve a federal warrant for a probation violation centered on carrying a prohibited weapon.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force found the suspect in the courtyard of the apartment complex before he fled into a wooded area, in the process firing shots at the two Austin police officers who sought to serve the warrant. The officers returned fire, Manley said, but it's unclear if the suspect was hit. The two Austin Police Department officers — both members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force — were unharmed.

Replying to an email from Patch, police said Tuesday evening the suspect was not located. Manley said a pistol was found in the parking lot believed to be the one used to fire at officers. However, Manley said it's unknown if the suspect had another weapon.

Despite the fact the suspect eluded capture, police identified him as Deonte Lee Rogers, 31, who stands five feet, eleven inches and weighing 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark shirt with some type of design on it and gray shorts below his knees. His deadlock hair was shaped into some sort of a bun at the time, Manley said. Police released a booking photo of Rogers from a previous arrest in the hopes someone might recognize him and alert police as to his whereabouts.

Rogers had a companion as he fled, a man described as a black male who was wearing a black tank top and black shorts at the time, Manley said.

Police urged anyone seeing Rogers to not approached him as he is considered armed and dangerous. Instead, he urged anyone knowing Rogers' whereabouts to call police. The number to Crime Stoppers is (512) 472-TIPS.

The two unidentified officers involved in the incident have been with the force 11 1/2 years and 9 1/2 years, the chief noted. Both have been placed on administrative duty pending the investigation's outcome, which is a standard practice in shooting incidents involving officers.

Austin ISD officials placed nearby Pecan Springs Elementary school during the police activity. Just after 3:15 p.m., school officials reported the lockdown had been lifted. A heavy police presence remained at the scene after the incident passed.

Concern was heightened after the suspect fled to escape police. It was unclear Tuesday afternoon if a suspect had been arrested. Late Tuesday afternoon, police identified the suspect in the incident as Deonte Rogers, issuing a previous booking photo to identify them. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-TIPS (8477).

Residents living in the vicinity were asked to shelter in place during the investigation, and several surrounding streets were closed to traffic. A reverse phone notification was sent to residents alerting to the potential threat, the Austin Police Association reported via Twitter.