A mother is angry after she said her 16-year-old son was handcuffed and injured by Austin police officers. She claims he was mistakenly identified as a suspect they were looking for. This happened in Southeast Austin after APD served an arrest and search warrant at the apartment complex where the teen lived.
AUSTIN, Texas – A mother is upset after her 16-year-old son was injured and detained by Austin police officers after they mistakenly identified him as a wanted suspect.
This happened June 7 after APD was trying to serve a search and arrest warrant for someone living at the same Southeast Austin apartment complex the teen lives at.
The teen decided to remain anonymous after what happened. He told FOX 7 Austin that day he decided to check out what was going on after seeing a heavy police presence outside his apartment building.
He remembers going outside and an officer immediately asking him to identify himself. He then remembers the police putting him in handcuffs.
“How, how, how? I was, I just came downstairs. I just came downstairs,” he said.
Police told him he matched the description of a suspect they were looking for. The teen said he had no idea what they were talking about.
“I was kind of scared when that happened though because it was a whole bunch of guns out and stuff, and it was like, right in front of me telling me I look like this person,” he said.
He said police told him his hair matched the suspect’s hair.
“I was just a little scared that they were going to light me up because they said I look like somebody because of my hair,” said the teen.
His mother, who also decided to remain anonymous, said she drove to the scene after being made aware of the situation.
“I drove from work and I saw the SWAT team. It was like 20 of them and a whole bunch of police outside, and they had my son surrounded, and he was on the ground,” she said.
The mother said she jumped into action and repeatedly told the police her son was not the person they were looking for. She said that is when police told her they identified him by his hair.
“Then they also stated that Black people look alike by the hair,” she said.
She remembers being shocked and scared for her son. She said she continually tried to prove her son was not the suspect. She even asked to see the suspect’s photo, but she said police would not listen to her.
The teen said police grabbed and squeezed his shoulder forcing him to sit down. A move that caused an injury to his neck.
His mom said it took four officials to identify him before police released him.
Austin Police released two statements to FOX 7 Austin on the incident:
“On June 7, 2023, APD officers served an arrest and search warrant at 1800 S IH 35. A juvenile individual who matched the description of the suspect was detained. The juvenile was not compliant with the officers resulting in minor use of force to assist in detaining the juvenile. No injuries were observed after this investigation. The juvenile was later released. As this incident is part of an ongoing investigation, we do not have any further information to provide.”
“As the on-scene investigation continued, the juvenile’s identity was confirmed not to be that of the suspect. No further information is available at this time.”
“They didn’t even apologize and say sorry, or even let us know why they even grabbed him,” said the mom.
The mother said she filed a complaint with APD.
“Why did [the police] not believe me? And it makes me feel like I can’t trust police to help or protect me,” she said.
This story is part of the KXAN Data Hub, where numbers help tell the whole story.
We’ve created several data-driven stories and databases on topics including weather and climate, politics, education, sports and growth in Texas. Each story in the KXAN Data Hub is updated as new data becomes available.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN is keeping track of the number of homicides in Austin.
As of Jan. 9, two homicides have been reported thus far in 2025.
Last year, 70 homicides were reported, down from 75 in 2023 and 71 in 2022. A record 88 homicides were reported in 2021.
The charts below will be updated as we learn new information. Scroll down for a map of where each homicide occurred.
The chart below shows how the number of homicides reported in recent years changed through the year.
Below is a map showing where homicides occurred in 2025. The map is interactive, so clicking on or hovering over a dot will reveal information about that incident. You can also click on a month in the top left to show only homicides that occurred during that month.
The chart below shows the number of homicides reported each month in 2025.
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin has appointed Andrew (Andy) Maas as the new assistant vice president for technology transfer on the Discovery to Impact team, which works with world-class inventors, investors, creators and entrepreneurs to launch startups and collaborates with established businesses to accelerate new products, services, solutions and cures.
In this role, Maas will lead the University’s research commercialization and innovation initiatives and oversee the protection and commercialization of UT’s intellectual property. Reporting to Mark Arnold, associate vice president of Discovery to Impact and managing director of Texas Startups, Maas will ensure that the University’s innovations transition effectively from academic research to market applications that benefit society.
“Andy is nationally recognized for his expertise in technology licensing and commercialization, and we are pleased to welcome a leader of his caliber to the team,” Arnold said. “We have an ambitious agenda for Discovery to Impact this year — to invest early and strategically in faculty ideas and inventions that will change the world — and there is no doubt that Andy is the right person to help lead the charge.”
Maas joins UT from Louisiana State University, where he most recently served as associate vice president for research, overseeing the office of Innovation and Ecosystem Development.
Maas holds a B.S. from Brigham Young University, an M.S. from UT Austin, and a J.D. and LLM from The University of Akron.
During his career, Maas has built an engineering startup, led within the university and research foundation settings, and currently serves as the board chair of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) – the non-profit leader in supporting professionals in the technology commercialization and research innovation space. In addition, he was the principal investigator on a $160 million National Science Foundation Engine award focused on the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL). Maas has lectured all over the world about intellectual property valuation, economic impact, technology licensing and technology commercialization.
“This is a homecoming for me in many ways, and it’s a privilege and pleasure to be back on the Forty Acres,” Maas remarked. “Discovery to Impact is one of the premier research commercializing programs in the country, and I look forward to working alongside Mark and the team to propel our groundbreaking faculty ideas forward.”
TxDOT is working around the clock treating roadways as temperatures plummet in the Austin area.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Department of Transportation is working around the clock treating roadways as temperatures plummet in the Austin area.
The agency is also offering assistance at no cost to stranded drivers through its “HERO program.”
“Our crews have been out there laying saltwater mixture, which is known as brine, and also a granular substance. That’s a magnesium chloride,” says TxDOT spokesperson Antonio Lujan.
TxDOT says employees are placing the brine on major highways in Austin and in surrounding areas.
“This includes I-35, SH 71, U.S. 183, 290 East going towards Manor and then towards Dripping Springs. Some of those smaller rural roads may not have brine or that granular substance in them,” says Lujan.
Central Texans have been busy preparing for Thursday’s cold weather and possible ice, especially in the Hill Country.
Temperatures reached below 40 degrees in Central Texas on Wednesday. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson addressed the public in a press conference on weather conditions and how the city is working to keep residents safe in their homes and on the streets.
“Keeping roads safe, keeping them as safe as possible, and continuing and continuing to deliver the critical services that our community depends on,” said Mayor Watson.
TxDOT says this means staying off the roads.
“Just because they’re drivable and treated does not mean passable. Because remember that depending on how low the temperatures do get, there might be some instances where you might have some ice accumulation,” says Lujan.
In the case a driver needs assistance on the roadways, TxDOT’S HERO program does offer several services in the Austin area.
“If you are broken down on the side of the road, we can help you out by changing your tire, jump-starting your car, pushing you off the road, getting you some gas. Our emergency first responders cover for them so they can do their job,” said a HERO PM Lead Operator.
“They’re out there monitoring our roads as we speak. They’re going to be out there working longer hours during the next couple of days to ensure that we are helping anyone who’s out there stranded. And the good thing about hero is that it’s at no cost,” Lujan
TxDOT says they plan to work around the clock until weather conditions return to normal.
For the HERO program or assistance, you can dial 512-974-HERO.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Tan Radford
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