APD release body cam video after officers shot man in north Austin

Editor's Note: The above video is police officer body camera video released by the Austin Police Department Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. This video was edited for time and sensitivity.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department released body cam footage Friday of a deadly shooting involving police officers on Oct. 22 in north Austin.

The man who died was identified as Cristobal Ordonez Flores, 57, according to police.

Shortly before 8 p.m., officers responded to an apartment complex on Northgate Boulevard for a report of an intoxicated person threatening a woman with a gun, according to police. Around 8:19 p.m., 911 received a dispatch call indicating a child was also in the apartment.

APD said officers tried to get the man to come out, but he wouldn’t. Around 8:30, officers saw the man on the balcony with the gun and fired a “less lethal” weapon at him, then he went back inside.

APD called in the SWAT team, but before it arrived, officers were worried the woman and child were in danger and entered the apartment themselves, according to police.

Police said as officers entered the apartment, the suspect began firing a gun at the officers, who returned fire, hitting the man.

Officers tried to save the man’s life, but he died. The woman and child were able to get out of the apartment safely without any injuries, according to police.

According to police, three officers fired their department-approved guns, one officer used their department-approved PepperBall system, and one Texas Department of Public Safety trooper fired his department-approved gun.

APD said Officer Austin Fowler, Officer Lowery Miller and Officer Bryce Conner fired their guns. Officer Matthew Bishop used the PepperBall system.

Fowler and Miller have five years and eight months of service with the agency. Conner has three years and eight months of service. Bishop has 11 months of service with the agency, according to police.

Timeline provided by APD

Here is a breakdown of the events provided by APD on what led to the deadly shooting:

7:55 p.m.: 911 dispatch receives a call reporting an intoxicated person threatening a woman with a gun in the 9000 block of Northgate Boulevard.

7:57 p.m.: The first APD unit assigned to the call and began responding to the scene. As officers responded, additional information was provided the man "was holding his wife in one hand and a gun in the other."

8:02 p.m.: The first APD officer arrived on the scene to gather more information, which included finding the apartment involved and began securing the scene. Officers were then notified the woman at risk was not the man's wife. That man was later identified as Flores, who was pointing a gun at multiple neighbors.

8:19 p.m.: 911 dispatch received a call with the caller requesting a check-welfare for a child who lived in the same apartment where Flores was found.

8:32 p.m.: Officers knock on the door of Flores' apartment, identifying themselves as police officers.

8:33 p.m.: Officers then began making "call-outs" to Flores in both English and Spanish.

8:34 p.m.: Flores was seen on the balcony holding a gun, and the officers began giving verbal commands to him. Police said he then pointed the gun at officers. One officer deployed his PepperBall system, and then three officers fired at Flores. He then went into the apartment, and officers did not have a view of him. Officers then worked to secure the area, and SWAT was requested. Before SWAT arrived at the scene, officers believed a woman and child were inside the apartment with Flores and "in danger."

8:44 p.m.: Officers entered the apartment to rescue the woman and child, and Flores fired his gun at them. Officers then returned fire and shot him. An officer told Flores to show his hands to detain him, but police said he did not comply. He reached for the firearm, grabbed it and pointed it at officers. Officers shot Flores again, and that is when he dropped the gun.

APD officers involved

All four officers were placed on administrative leave, as per APD protocol.

APD will conduct two concurrent investigations into this incident: a criminal investigation conducted by the APD Special Investigations Unit and the Texas Rangers in conjunction with the Travis County District Attorney's Office and an administrative investigation conducted by the APD Internal Affairs Unit, with oversight from the Office of Police Oversight. 

Anyone with information is encouraged to call APD's Special Investigations Unit at (512) 974-6840 or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. For the Capitol Area Crime Stoppers submission, you may submit a tip online at austincrimestoppers.org. You can remain anonymous. 

People can also send photos or videos from the incident and upload them on the APD Evidence Submission Portal.

To watch the full officer body camera videos and to listen to the 911 audio, click here.