Black Man Didn’t Display a Gun & Austin Cops Shot Him in the Back as He Fled According to Witnesses Cited in Suit for Wrongful Death of Landon Nobles

From [HERE] A lawsuit has been filed against the City of Austin and the Austin police officers who were involved in a shooting that killed a man on May 7, 2017.

Landon Nobles, 24, died in a shooting after police said he ran away from officers with a handgun. Officers said at the time of the shooting that they perceived him as a threat.

The family of Nobles claims in the lawsuit that officers used excessive force against Nobles.

According to the lawsuit, Nobles was out celebrating a birthday with his cousins on Sixth Street when they gathered with a crowd that was watching two people "fixing to fight."

A large popping sound allegedly went off in the crowd, causing the crowd to disperse. Nobles walked away from the scene, his family said.

His family said Nobles was walking down Trinity Street when an unidentified Austin police officer allegedly threw a bike in front of him, causing him to fall. When Nobles regained his balance he was shot in the back by police, according to the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Sergeant Richard Egal is identified as the officer who threw his bicycle at Nobles and allegedly drew his weapon, shooting the man in the back. The lawsuit claims Corporal Maxwell Johnson ran up to Nobles after Sergeant Egal shot him in the back and also shot Nobles in the back several times more.

Witnesses in the crowd claim Nobles was not displaying a gun and posed no danger when he was shot in the back, according to the lawsuit.

In a cell phone video, witnesses can be heard saying that police shot him and that he didn't have a gun that they could see.

"I didn't see no exchange of gunfire at all," said Elvis Ingram, an eyewitness. "As he was running on Trinity [Street], an officer picked up a bicycle and threw it at his face and he fell, he tripped and fell over the bike, and when he fell right by my golf cart a pop went off, and he jumped up immediately, and he ran past me."

After the shooting occurred, both officers were placed on administrative leave as the case was investigated.

In Nov. 2018, the Travis County District Attorney determined the Austin officers' use of deadly force in the death of Nobles was justified.