AUSTIN — Austin police have identified and charged a man with murder after a deadly shooting in southeast Austin late Saturday night.
It happened just before midnight on East Ben White Boulevard -- near Woodward Street outside a halfway house where police said the two men resided. Officers said they found a man shot in a parking lot.
On Monday, police identified the suspect as 75-year-old John L. Hawkins. Police said he remained on scene and told detectives he argued with the victim over a work assignment. Hawkins told officers that he and the victim assist in parking cars at a club near the halfway house. Hawkins allegedly told police that he believed the victim was too intoxicated to do the job that night, and that they started arguing about it.
According to Hawkins, the victim used racial slurs and spat at him. He then admitted to shooting the victim, who police are refraining to identify until notifying next of kin.
Police said the victim was taken to South Austin Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:23 a.m. on Sept. 30.
If you have more information about this case, police ask you to call 512-472-TIPS or text "Tip 103" + your message to CRIMES.