Police arrest suspect in fatal shooting outside Texas Health and Human Services Building
Austin police have arrested a suspect in the of a man outside the Texas Health and Human Services Building, where anger management classes were reportedly being held.
Lavonta Harrison was arrested Nov. 12 on a parole violation and subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of Shelby Wayne Cody, 33, Austin Police Detective Patrick Reed announced Friday.
According to police, Harrison arrived at 6400 East US 290 around 5:50 p.m. on Nov. 7 and opened fire on Cody without provocation. Witnesses were performing life-saving measures on Cody when officers arrived two minutes after the first 911 calls.
Cody, who suffered gunshot wounds to his leg and stomach, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m.
"Based on talking with witnesses and the crime scene analysis, we don't believe that Mr. Harrison was targeting anyone other than Shelby," Reed said.
Staff followed safety protocols by locking down the building until police arrived, Reed said.
Assistant Chief Eric Fitzgerald praised witnesses whose cooperation "played a major role in us being able to make an arrest and bring this to a resolution so quickly."
The incident marked Austin's 57th homicide of 2024.
