AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department is investigating a suspicious death in northeast Austin.
At approximately 5:39 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, APD received a shots-fired call located near the 7000 block of the North Interstate 35 service road, near U.S. 183 and St. John's Avenue. The caller advised that multiple shots had been heard.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered a victim – later identified as 22-year-old Rafael Solorzano Sanchez – inside a white Ford SUV that appeared to have crashed into a chain-link fence.
Officers immediately removed Sanchez from the driver's seat and began providing medical care before Austin-Travis County EMS arrived on the scene and took over. Sanchez was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:18 a.m.
APD said homicide investigators and crime scene personnel processed the scene and spoke with witnesses who reported a male suspect, pictured below, shooting into Sanchez's vehicle as it traveled through the Denny's/Motel 6 parking lot. The suspect then fled eastbound on foot into the motel corridors.
The Travis County medical examiner ruled the manner of death as a homicide from a gunshot wound. APD said the case remains under investigation.
Detectives are asking anyone with information or video of the incident to call APD Homicide at 512-974-TIPS, email homicide.apd@austintexas.gov or submit a tip through Crime Stoppers or the Austin PD app. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
This is Austin’s eighth homicide of 2021.
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