It’s been a heavy start to 2026 for the Austin Police Department. If you’ve been scrolling through social media or checking the scanners this morning, you probably saw the alerts about a South Austin shooting. It happened late last night, but the ripples are still being felt throughout the city as investigators piece together the motive.
Honestly, it feels like every time we catch a breather, another siren goes off.
The situation on Teri Road is the most immediate concern. Around 10:30 p.m. on Monday night—January 12—officers rushed to the scene after reports of gunfire. One person was hit. They were rushed to a local hospital with injuries that, thankfully, aren't considered life-threatening. But here’s the kicker: APD says the suspect and the victim actually knew each other. This wasn't some random act of violence in a parking lot, but something personal.
Police are still looking into what exactly sparked the dispute. Was it an argument that spiraled? A long-standing grudge? We don’t have those answers yet, and the suspect's status remains a bit of a question mark as of early Tuesday morning, January 13.
Breaking News Austin Police Today Live: A City on Edge
The Teri Road incident isn't happening in a vacuum. Austin is currently grappling with a sudden spike in violence after a relatively "quiet" (if you can call it that) 2025. Just in the last 24 hours, APD has been scrambling to keep up with multiple homicides.
💡 You might also like: Wisconsin Judicial Elections 2025: Why This Race Broke Every Record
Think about this. Within a 12-hour window yesterday, North Austin saw two separate fatal shootings in the same patrol sector. The fifth homicide of 2026 was recorded just yesterday afternoon. For a city that saw crime rates actually dip below pre-pandemic levels last year, this sudden January burst is jarring.
It’s not just the shootings, either. The weekend was packed with activity.
- Anti-ICE Protests: Over the weekend, five people were arrested during heated demonstrations outside the JJ Pickle federal building.
- Officer Exoneration: There is a massive debate swirling around Officer Christopher Taylor. His conviction for deadly conduct was recently overturned by an appeals court in Amarillo.
- Aggravated Assaults: Detectives are currently hunting for suspects in an assault case from just two days ago.
The sheer volume of calls is a lot. APD is still struggling with staffing, which makes these "live" updates even more critical for residents trying to navigate the city safely.
The Backstory on the Christopher Taylor Case
If you want to understand why Austin's relationship with its police department is so complicated right now, you have to look at the Christopher Taylor situation. It’s basically the talk of the town.
📖 Related: Casey Ramirez: The Small Town Benefactor Who Smuggled 400 Pounds of Cocaine
Taylor was convicted back in 2024 for a 2019 shooting of Mauris DeSilva. DeSilva was holding a knife and struggling with mental illness at the time. A Travis County jury found Taylor guilty. But—and this is a big "but"—the case was transferred to a conservative appeals court in Amarillo due to a process called "docket equalization."
Thirteen days ago, that court threw out the conviction. They found him not guilty.
Now, Travis County DA José Garza is calling the ruling "absurd," while Taylor's lawyers are pushing for him to get his job back at APD. Chief Lisa Davis hasn't made a final call on his reinstatement yet, but the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. It’s a classic Austin story: a local community decision being overwritten by state-level shifts.
Why the North Austin Homicides Matter
The two murders in North Austin yesterday—specifically around the 9500 block of North Lamar—have residents in that area feeling pretty vulnerable. One of those shootings happened at Club Rodeo. A suspect has been caught in that one, but the second homicide in the same sector within hours has stretched resources thin.
👉 See also: Lake Nyos Cameroon 1986: What Really Happened During the Silent Killer’s Release
Assistant Chief Angie Jones mentioned recently that the department is trying to use more "inter-departmental collaboration" to tackle these spikes. That’s police-speak for "we’re moving everyone around to plug the holes."
What to Do if You’re in South Austin Today
If you live near Teri Road or frequent that part of South Austin, there isn't an active "manhunt" per se, but the investigation is very much ongoing. Police usually stay on the scene of these shootings for hours to collect shell casings and talk to neighbors.
- Check your Ring cameras: If you live on or near Teri Road, look at your footage from 10:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. last night. Small details matter.
- Avoid the immediate area of the investigation: While the street might be open, rubbernecking just slows down the process.
- Stay updated on the APD News Portal: They don't always post to Twitter (X) immediately. Their official "Police News" page on the AustinTexas.gov site is usually where the formal press releases land first.
It’s kind of wild to think that just yesterday morning, KUT News was reporting on how crime had dropped in 2025. Then, boom. Five homicides in less than two weeks of the new year. It’s a reminder that statistics are great for looking backward, but they don't mean much when you're hearing sirens outside your window at midnight.
The best thing you can do right now is stay aware of your surroundings. Austin is still a relatively safe city compared to other metros of its size, but this January "heat wave" of crime is real. Keep an eye on the live scanners if you're in the North or South Lamar corridors, as those seem to be the current hotspots for police activity.
To stay safe and informed, make sure you have the Austin PD mobile app installed for real-time alerts. If you have any information regarding the Teri Road shooting or the recent North Austin homicides, you can submit an anonymous tip through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.