The Austin Police Department (APD) continues to investigate the in-custody death that occurred on Monday, June 17, 2024, at 8801 S. IH 35.
“APD continues to work diligently to build trust within our community. As per our policy, we share information about a critical incident within ten business days of its occurrence. Transparency and accountability are key to our ability to serve the Austin community, so we will provide an account of this critical incident to help you understand the chain of events,” APD stated in their release.
APD is collaborating with the Office of Police Oversight and the City of Austin to disseminate this information. The press release includes links to relevant audio and video from the ongoing investigation, which have been reviewed by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office for public release. The details provided are preliminary as the investigation is still in its early stages.
The officers involved in this incident are Officer Brandon Langer and Officer David Lewis, both with one year of service at APD.
At approximately 4:02 p.m., Austin 9-1-1 received multiple calls reporting an urgent disturbance at the Circle K Convenience Store located at 8801 S IH-35 Frontage Road. Callers described a man, later identified as Jermaine Joseph Sims, wearing gray shorts and a white tank top, who was “acting erratic” and “throwing things” inside the store. They requested assistance from Police, Austin-Travis County EMS (A/TCEMS), and Mental Health Services for Mr. Sims.
At approximately 4:05 p.m., Mr. Sims stole a pickup truck from one of the convenience store gas pumps, drove onto the southbound frontage road of IH 35 at Slaughter Ln., against traffic direction, and collided with multiple vehicles causing minor injuries to some occupants.
Officers arrived on scene around 4:09 p.m., taking Mr. Sims into custody by approximately 4:10 p.m. A/TCEMS transported Mr. Sims to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 6:04 p.m.
Due to Mr. Sims’ death following his detention by APD officers, this incident is being investigated as an in-custody death. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
No officers or other members of the public were injured during Mr. Sims’ arrest.
Currently, there are no charges pending; however, the case remains under active investigation.
This incident was recorded on body-worn cameras and a private community member’s dash camera. Although body-worn cameras do not always capture everything witnessed during incidents, they provide significant insights into what transpired.
In compliance with state law prohibiting certain disclosures and maintaining investigation integrity, materials have been redacted accordingly.
The footage released includes parts captured on body-worn cameras and a private community member’s dash camera featuring comprehensive footage of officer actions with graphic content warnings advised for viewers.
Note: At approximately 4:09:43 p.m., Officer David Lewis’ body-worn camera became detached resulting in unclear video or audio content.
All released materials are available on APD’s YouTube channel and other social media platforms via this link: [APD’s YouTube Channel].
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact APD’s Special Investigation Unit at (512) 974-6840 or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-8477. Anonymous tips can be submitted online through Austin Crime Stoppers – Capital City Area Crime Stoppers.
