VIDEO: APD body and dashboard camera footage released after death in custody

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police released video from an officer’s body camera and video from a dashboard camera on Tuesday after a man died in police custody in June. The videos and 911 calls released by police showed the man’s alleged involvement in a crash in south Austin and his subsequent arrest by police.

According to APD, officers responded to several calls on June 17 regarding a man who was “acting erratically” and “throwing objects” at a south Austin store.

Editor’s Note: The above video is dashboard camera footage provided to the Austin Police Department by a private citizen.

According to police, Sims stole a vehicle from a gas pump, turned the wrong way onto an access road to Interstate 35 and rammed several vehicles.

APD officers arrived at the scene and arrested Sims. Austin-Travis County EMS paramedics transported him to a hospital where he later died.

The APD said the department is investigating the incident as a death in custody because the man died in police custody.

On Tuesday, APD released audio recordings of police radio traffic beginning around 4:02 p.m., five 911 audio calls beginning around 4:02 p.m., an officer’s body-worn camera, and footage from a private citizen’s dashboard camera. All of this can be heard and viewed here on APD’s YouTube page.

Officer Brandon Langer was the one wearing the police-released body camera, APD said in a news release Tuesday. Police also noted that Lewis’ body camera came off at around 4:09:43 p.m., fell to the ground and “provided no clear video or audio.” The other officer seen in Langer’s footage was Officer David Lewis, according to police.

According to police statements on Tuesday, no charges have yet been filed, but the case remains active.