Austin, Texas – The officer who shot and killed a man suspected of breaking into a car in downtown Austin in April will not be charged in the man’s death, the district attorney’s office said Wednesday.
A grand jury concluded that APD Officer Armando Perez will not face charges in the April 3 shooting death of Darrin Martin, 25. A worker at an apartment complex in the 800 block of West 5th Street confronted Martin, who ran from the scene. The worker yelled for someone to call 911 and Perez responded to the scene, catching up to them in a parking lot on the 500 block of West Avenue.
Perez was attempting to handcuff Martin when he pulled a handgun and shot Perez in the torso below his vest. Perez returned fire and killed Martin.
Perez, then a nine-year veteran of the department, was hospitalized to have the bullet removed and released the following day.