“These officers are heroes, and it should go without saying that my office is not seeking any charges and would not seek charges,” José Garza said in a statement.
AUSTIN, Texas — Travis County District Attorney José Garza released a statement on Tuesday responding to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s online comments about the Austin police officers involved in Sunday’s mass shooting on West Sixth Street.
Abbott posted on Monday on his X account that “these police officers are heroes who saved lives,” adding that “whatever the DA does, I will have the final say in the fate of these police officers.” His post came in response to claims that Garza planned to present the case to a grand jury.
Garza said his office is not seeking charges against the officers and called the reports “intentionally false.”
“These officers are heroes, and it should go without saying that my office is not seeking any charges and would not seek charges,” Garza said in a statement. “The accounts to the contrary are false … and are being peddled for obvious political purposes.”
Garza also expressed support for the Austin Police Department and sympathy for the victims.
“We are proud to work with our partners at the Austin Police Department every day and are so grateful for the bravery that these officers showed,” Garza said. “We also grieve with our community members who lost loved ones during this horrendous act of violence and are disgusted by the leaders in Texas using their deaths to score political points.”
Three people were killed and more than a dozen people were injured when a gunman opened fire outside Buford’s bar around 2 a.m. Sunday. The suspected shooter was killed by police.
Authorities said 30-year-old Jorge Pederson was taken off life support Monday. Two other victims were identified as 19-year-old Ryder Harrington and 21-year-old Savitha Shan, a University of Texas student, according to UT President Jim Davis.