Police: Ex-Texas deputy wanted in shooting deaths of 3 is arrested following manhunt
AUSTIN, Texas (NewsNation Now) — The former detective wanted in the shooting deaths of three people was taken into custody Monday morning following a manhunt, Texas authorities said.
Officers found Stephen Broderick, 41, along a rural road around 7:30 a.m. in Manor, an Austin suburb, after receiving reports of a suspicious person matching the description of the suspect in Sunday’s shooting, Manor Police Chief Ryan Phipps said.
Police said Broderick had a pistol at the time of his arrest but no shots were fired. Phipps said Broderick was taken to Travis County jail, where authorities did not immediately release more information. Manor Police released dash cam video and photos from the arrest.
Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon said Broderick is suspected in the killing of two Hispanic women and one Black man in Austin, Texas. The shooting occurred just before noon on Sunday. He said Broderick knew the victims but didn’t elaborate on how or provide a motive for the shootings.
Chacon said the three were not shot in a building but did not give any further details. He also said a child was involved but that the child has been located and is safe.
Broderick is a former Travis County Sheriff’s detective and was charged with sexual assault of a child in June 2020, according to the Texas Rangers and Travis County court records. He bonded out of jail days after his arrest and resigned from the sheriff’s office, according to a spokeswoman.
“I’m truly heartbroken that a former Travis County Sheriff’s Office Deputy is the suspect in such a horrific incident,” Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez said in a statement.
The Austin American-Statesman also reported that Broderick’s wife filed for a protective order and divorce shortly after his arrest. Broderick was also previously an investigator with the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office.
In a statement early Monday morning, the nearby Elgin Independent School District identified two of the victims as Willie Simmons III and Alyssa Broderick. Simmons was a current student Broderick was a former student.
Following the shooting, there was a large presence of emergency responders at the scene, including dozens of police cars, several ambulances, two SWAT trucks and two police helicopters. Later Sunday, law enforcement began leaving the area.
Brenda Torres said she was driving by when she saw a little boy flag down a car and a Black man lying facedown on the ground.
“I saw the little boy point down the street,” Torres said. “There was someone lying on the ground. I thought someone had just fallen down or something. As my light turns green and I’m driving, I see cop car after cop car after cop car rushing toward where I just was.”
Nearby residents had been asked to shelter in place and to call their neighbors to check on them. Chacon had said earlier that officials were concerned that Broderick “might possibly take a hostage and be himself sheltered somewhere waiting for us to leave.” The shelter in place order was lifted Sunday evening.
The area includes a strip mall containing several retail stores and large apartment complexes situated near wooded rolling hills.
Josh Katzowitz, who had been shopping at the nearby Trader Joe’s, said police and ambulances came “pouring in” to the area as he was leaving. He didn’t hear any shooting.
“The cops had their guns out,” he said. “Some had pistols, some had rifles and they were strapping on bulletproof vests. There were all of a sudden ambulances, sirens and police cars. There were cops coming from everywhere.”
NewsNation affiliate KXAN and The Associated Press contributed to this report.