Scott Laurance Gilpin, a 47-year-old man from Austin, Texas, died on January 14, 2017, after being shot by an Austin police officer. The incident occurred near Hope Presbyterian Church in Northwest Austin, following multiple emergency calls about a disturbance at the Anderson Mill Pub. Witnesses reported that Gilpin was armed with an AR-15 rifle and a shotgun, and he fired multiple shots into the air before police arrived.
When officers encountered Gilpin, they repeatedly ordered him to
drop his weapons, but he ignored their commands. After about 13 minutes of attempting to communicate with him, Officer Jesse Lane shot Gilpin as he walked through a courtyard while still armed. Despite immediate life-saving measures, Gilpin died at the scene.
The Austin Police Department conducted both internal and criminal investigations into the shooting. Officer Lane, who had been with the department for two and a half years, was placed on administrative leave during the investigations. A Travis County grand jury reviewed the incident, and the Austin Police Monitor’s Office also conducted an investigation.
Gilpin's criminal history included a prior arrest for public intoxication in November 2015, but the charge was later dismissed. According to public records, Gilpin worked for a consulting firm in Cedar Park and had previously been employed at NLand Surf Park and Best Buy in Northeast Austin. Colleagues described him as a kind-hearted and amiable person who fostered camaraderie among his coworkers.
The incident raised questions about police use of force and the circumstances leading up to the shooting. The investigations aimed to determine whether the use of deadly force was justified and to provide transparency in the handling of the case.
