Details of the incident were provided by Detective Leah Ratliff of the Austin Police Department's Public Information Office during a media conference near the scene. Officers responded to a high-priority emergency call for service around 7:30 p.

Downtown has been a priority for Austin police since January, when changes were announced to reopen Sixth Street to traffic. The changes were announced following the attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, which eventually led to more safety measures.