Austin Police Department officers responded to a reported stolen vehicle in the 700 block of Azie Morton Road during a curfew check at Zilker Park on September 10, 2025. Officers called for a tow truck after locating the vehicle. While some officers left to patrol other areas, Officer Reinhart stayed at the scene.
As the tow truck driver prepared to load the vehicle, two individuals approached, claiming ownership of the car. The subjects began walking into a wooded area as Officer Reinhart identified himself as Austin Police and issued commands for them to stop. The female subject was later identified as Kay Smith, born January 23, 1994. The male subject was identified as Brandon Thompson, age 31.
Officer Reinhart gave commands for Thompson to remove his hands from his pocket. Shortly after, Thompson fired shots that struck Smith in the head and Officer Reinhart in the abdomen. Officer Reinhart returned fire while Thompson fled into the woods.
Backup arrived within minutes and transported Officer Reinhart to a local hospital where he received treatment for his injuries. Smith was also taken to a hospital and pronounced braindead at 2:37 p.m.
A search involving APD SWAT, AIR1, and K9 units followed. At approximately 7:44 a.m., Barton Hills Elementary School entered lockdown after a suspicious person matching Thompson’s description was reported by Austin Independent School District Police Department (AISD PD). An AISD sergeant attempted to detain Thompson but he ran away.
Thompson was spotted by an APD officer around 7:52 a.m., fleeing toward a home on Homedale Drive where he forced entry. The homeowner shot him in the arm and leg before police took him into custody and transported him for medical treatment.
Detectives from Homicide, Special Investigations Unit, and Crime Scene Specialists processed evidence and interviewed witnesses. Their investigation determined that Thompson shot Smith—his girlfriend—and Officer Reinhart before fleeing.
Thompson was magistrated at the hospital on September 11 and charged with Attempted Capital Murder of a Peace Officer (1st Degree Felony) and Burglary of a Residence (1st Degree Felony). On September 17, he was additionally charged with 1st Degree Murder. He remains in Travis County Jail.
Police encourage anyone with information about this case—the city’s forty-third homicide of 2025—to contact APD or submit anonymous tips through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at https://austincrimestoppers.org/ or by calling 512-472-8477. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward.
“Officer Reinhart stated that the subjects were detained and not free to go.”
“The sergeant gave verbal commands to the suspect, such as ‘Stop, get on the ground,’ however, Mr. Thompson continued to run.”
