AUSTIN, Texas (NewsNation Now) — Two people are dead after an hourslong standoff at a doctor’s office in Austin, Texas, late Tuesday, authorities said.
Two doctors were found fatally shot in a building that NewsNation affiliate KXAN identified as Children’s Medical Group, a pediatric doctor’s office. One is believed to be a victim who worked at the office, while the other is being considered a suspect, KXAN reported.
The Austin Police Department is not yet naming the victim or suspect.
Police sent a robot into the building at around 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday. After the robot identified the victim, a SWAT team then entered and found two people dead.
“One that was originally inside the building, one that was not. Both deceased,” Cpl. John Majefski said.
Cries and shouting could be heard off to the side of the news conference as authorities announced the news.
“It’s very early in the investigation. We don’t have much details. The homicide unit is taking over the investigation,” he said.
Austin police said the call came in at about 4:29 p.m. as doctors and nurses ran from the scene. The department said some people in the area were evacuated. They did not give any information on how many people were involved in the incident. SWAT was called and set up a perimeter.
KXAN reported SWAT could be heard giving commands over a loudspeaker or megaphone to the barricaded person, trying to communicate with them. They identified the individual as a doctor at the time.
“You dedicated your entire life to helping people who cannot help themselves by working with those terminally-ill newborns,” hostage negotiators said.
“We haven’t talked to you in a couple hours, and we want to make sure you’re OK,” SWAT negotiators later added.
KXAN’s Jody Barr provided the below video of the communications from negotiators, which are loud enough to be heard in nearby blocks.