AUSTIN, Texas — A man has been arrested and charged after allegedly threatening another man with an assault rifle over the use of a basketball court in East Austin. The suspect, 31-year-old Jacob Wheatley, later accidentally shot himself, according to court documents.
An affidavit obtained by KVUE states that Austin police received numerous calls at around 7:15 p.m. on July 23, reporting gunshots fired by a person driving a black Dodge Journey in the area around the Zaragoza Recreation Center in East Austin. That person was later identified as Wheatley.
Officers responded to the scene and spoke to a witness who said he and his son were playing on one side of a basketball court when Wheatley and some other people arrived and started playing on the whole court.
The witness then confronted Wheatley, leading to an argument. During the argument, Wheatley allegedly told the witness that they could "settle it outside" and that he would "slide" on the witness, which the witness interpreted as Wheatley physically fighting him and possibly knocking him out.
The primary witness, his son and two other witnesses walked outside, where they allegedly observed Wheatley retrieve an AR-15 from his car. Wheatley then pointed the rifle at the primary witness, according to the affidavit. The witnesses backed away, and the primary witness claimed to hear a gunshot.
The witnesses then saw Wheatley get back in his car and drive across the street before getting out. The car then stopped, and Wheatley got out so that another person could drive away.
About 15 minutes later, at around 7:30 p.m., the affidavit states that a man walked into St. David's Medical Center, suffering from a gunshot wound. An officer at the scene recognized the man as matching Wheatley's description. Wheatley's girlfriend told police that she drove him to the hospital in the Dodge Journey.
Surveillance video from the Zaragoza Recreation Center and a cellphone video taken by a witness showed the encounter between Wheatley and the witnesses and showed him pointing a rifle at the face of one of the victims. A gunshot is then heard, and Wheatley is seen hopping on one leg and getting into the driver's seat of the Dodge before driving away.
Wheatley has been charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, a second-degree felony.