Police say pursuit suspect died of self-inflicted gunshot wound

July 26, 2019 at 4:54 a.m. | Updated July 26, 2019 at 5:23 p.m.

by Lori Dunn

Texas state troopers and Nash police officers investigate the crime scene where a vehicle pursuit ended Thursday on Interstate 30 near New Boston. The chase began in Nash. The suspect's vehicle was stopped with the help of other law enforcement and the use of a tire deflation device. Police say the suspect suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died in the hospital.
Texas state troopers and Nash police officers investigate the crime scene where a vehicle pursuit ended Thursday on Interstate 30 near New Boston. The chase began in Nash. The suspect's vehicle was stopped with the help of other law enforcement and the use of a tire deflation device. Police say the suspect suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died in the hospital.

UPDATE: The shooting victim has been identified by the Texas Department of Public Safety as James H. Austin, 41, of Texarkana. The reason he was allegedly evading police is still under investigation, according to DPS.

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Police say a suspect who led police on a car chase before being taken to the hospital for a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound late Thursday morning has died.

The suspect attempted to evade officers late Thursday morning on Interstate 30 between Nash and New Boston, Texas.

Staff Sgt. Kyle Bradford, spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the suspect, whose name was being held at presstime, died at a local hospital sometime before 8 p.m. Thursday.

The shooting happened about 9:45 a.m. near the 204 mile marker of the westbound lane of I-30.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital. His condition was not available at the time, according to officials.

"At the request of the Nash Police Department, Texas Rangers were asked to conduct an investigation," Bradford initially said in a DPS news release earlier Thursday.

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STAFF PHOTO DAVID GOTTSCHALK Volunteer Wren Myers, right, serves butter table side to Sue Markman during her Thanksgiving Day meal served at the Corps Community Center at 219 W. 15th St. in Fayetteville. The Salvation Army expected to serve 350 holiday meals at the Fayetteville facility.

The preliminary investigation indicates Nash police were attempting to apprehend the suspect, who was driving a silver Chevrolet pickup and the suspect evaded them, Bradford said.

"The suspect's vehicle was stopped with the help of other law enforcement and the utilization of a tire deflation device. At the conclusion of the stop, the suspect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital for treatment," Bradford said. He said earlier Thursday that Rangers were still gathering information in order to determine the suspect's name and the reason the suspect was evading law officers.

As of presstime Thursday evening, Bradford said no additional information was available regarding the investigation, and the Nash Police Department also declined comment as of Thursday afternoon.

Westbound traffic on I-30 was backed up for a couple of hours after the incident.

Bowie County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene along with Texarkana, Texas, Police Department crime scene investigators.

 

Gazette writer Greg Bischof contributed to this story.

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