<\/p>\n
A large portion of southbound I-35 is closed from U.S. 183 into the downtown area in Austin because of police activity on Thursday morning, Aug. 13, 2026, Austin police said. Law enforcement reported that a Texas DPS trooper fatally shot a suspect after authorities chased a stolen Fort Worth EMS ambulance that rammed several civilian cars.<\/p>\n
TxDOT traffic camera<\/p>\n
A suspect who rammed multiple vehicles in a stolen Fort Worth Fire Department ambulance on Interstate 35 in Austin early Thursday was fatally shot by a Texas DPS trooper, officials said.<\/p>\n
The ambulance was stolen Wednesday night from Station 4, located at 2954 Old Mansfield Road, Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson Craig Trojacek said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a developing story with multiple agencies involved,\u201d the statement reads.<\/p>\n
According to Department of Public Safety spokesperson Sgt. Jason Galaviz, DPS was notified about 6:30 a.m. that the ambulance was in Williamson County and headed south on I-35.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen troopers activated their emergency lights, the driver refused to stop and began actively evading law enforcement,\u201d Galaviz said at a news conference Thursday.<\/p>\n
According to Galaviz, the suspect began intentionally ramming civilian vehicles. The troopers attempted a PIT maneuver to stop the ambulance, but were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
The stolen ambulance continued ramming into vehicles as it headed onto the upper deck of I-35. Galaviz said a DPS trooper then fired his service weapon at the suspect, who died at the scene.<\/p>\n
Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect. Texas Rangers are investigating the officer-involved shooting, Galaviz said. DPS will release more details as they become available.<\/p>\n
All southbound lanes of I-35 were closed Thursday morning near central Austin due to the \u201cpolice activity,\u201d according to Texas Department of Transportation officials.<\/p>\n
TRAFFIC ALERT: Southbound I-35 from US 183 to Airport Blvd, all lanes closed, including both upper and lower decks due to police activity. Prepare for delays and seek alternative routes.<\/p>\n
\u2014 TxDOT Austin (@TxDOTAustin) August 13, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Photos taken by KXAN-TV<\/a> show the stolen Fort Worth EMS ambulance on an interstate bridge. The front of the vehicle has been damaged.<\/p>\n Fort Worth police said the investigation into the theft of the ambulance is ongoing.<\/p>\n Austin police said in a social media post about 7:40 a.m. that the upper deck of I-35 was expected to be closed for several hours, which included a large portion of the freeway from U.S. 183 into the downtown area.<\/p>\n About 1:45 p.m., police said that lanes are open for drivers to access the lower deck of I-35 from U.S. 183, but the upper deck remains closed.<\/p>\n This story was originally published August 13, 2026 at 9:48 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1786668498_714_Headshot.png\")