Georgetown man shot dead by police after struggle over officer's gun

Timothy Visa Xayyaraj, 37, was killed Saturday after trying to seize a police officer's weapon in Georgetown Square, Texas. Texas Rangers are leading the investigation.

Georgetown Square shooting: man identified after fatal struggle with officers

Timothy Visa Xayyaraj, 37, was shot and killed by a Georgetown police officer on Saturday afternoon following a violent confrontation in Georgetown Square, fox7austin.com reports. Officials released his identity alongside new details and video footage of the incident on West Seventh Street.

Officers were dispatched shortly before 1 p.m. to the 100 block of West Seventh Street after members of the public called in reports of a man acting erratically and jumping on vehicles around the square. When officers made contact, Xayyaraj told them he was carrying a gun and reached toward his waistband.

"At the time, the officers were able to discern that he did not have a gun in his waistband, but he advanced on to the point that they had to go hands on. And then the struggle went to the ground. There were at least four officers, and it became extremely violent," Georgetown Police Chief Cory Tchida said.

During the ground struggle, Xayyaraj attempted to pull a handgun from one of the officers' holsters. Police said it remained unclear whether the weapon was fully removed. Officers heard a shot, broke contact with Xayyaraj, and a second officer then fired. Xayyaraj was treated at the scene and transported to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The confrontation was captured by a nearby YouTube vlogger, TwoWheelsBackroads, who posted footage of the incident. A voice can repeatedly be heard on the video saying, "Let go of the gun," followed seconds later by what sounds like a gunshot. Later in the footage, a person is visible lying in the street as first responders perform chest compressions.

Earlier encounter the same morning

Saturday's fatal shooting was not Xayyaraj's first contact with law enforcement that day. According to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, deputies encountered him in the early morning hours of August 29 at St. David's Hospital in Round Rock. He was arrested on a charge of attempting to take a weapon from an officer.

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office said, however, that the arrest affidavit was found to lack sufficient information to establish probable cause, requiring his release from jail. Following his release, Xayyaraj made his way to Georgetown Square, where witnesses described erratic behavior that prompted residents to call the Georgetown Police Department.

Busy square, shaken witnesses

The shooting unfolded just feet from busy restaurants and shops along the square's West Seventh Street. Kim Wilkinson, a manager at the Red Bird Mercantile boutique, said approximately 13 people were inside when the incident took place near their front door.

A coworker alerted Wilkinson to the sound of gunfire. "She said she heard gunshots and I said 'No, no you didn't' and she goes 'No, I heard four gunshots,'" Wilkinson told FOX 7. She went to lock the front door and observed officers converging on the scene. "I saw police presence, a lot of police presence. I saw some police officers looking down, so I wondered if maybe there was somebody down. But I locked it and just got in the back," she said.

Joint statement and investigation

In a joint statement released August 31, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney Shawn Dick said they were grateful no officers sustained serious injuries and that the public was kept safe. "We extend our condolences to the family of Mr. Xayyaraj," the statement read.

The statement also addressed the broader context of the incident. "Mental illness is a significant and complex societal problem requiring many partners to address. If you know someone in crisis or are in crisis yourself, please reach out and call the '988' Suicide and Crisis Lifeline," it added.

The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting. As standard procedure, the District Attorney's Office will present the case to a Grand Jury upon the completion of the Rangers' investigation.

Source: Google News GY — Georgetown