Austin police say a U.S. Marshals task force arrested a suspect hours after the shooting at Club Rodeo on North Lamar Boulevard.
AUSTIN, TX — An off-duty Caldwell County Precinct 3 deputy constable was shot and killed early Sunday in the parking lot of Club Rodeo in North Austin, and a suspect was arrested later the same day, authorities said.
Police identified the deputy as Aaron Armstrong, who served with the Caldwell County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office. Investigators said officers were called to 9515 N. Lamar Blvd. just after 2 a.m. for a report that an officer from another agency had been shot. Armstrong was found in the lot with gunshot wounds, taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. By late afternoon, a U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, working with Austin police and the Texas Department of Public Safety, apprehended a suspect in the case. Detectives are gathering witness statements and video while preparing to brief reporters Monday.
Austin police said they are still determining what led to the gunfire outside the nightclub and have not released a motive. The agency’s homicide unit is reviewing evidence from the scene, including surveillance footage and cell phone videos turned over by patrons. “One of our deputies, while working an off-duty security position at an Austin establishment, was involved in a shooting,” Armstrong’s agency said in a statement, adding that he died after being transported to a hospital. The constable’s office requested privacy for Armstrong’s family. Police asked anyone who was near the club around closing time to contact investigators as they piece together a detailed timeline of events.
Officers responded to the club at about 2:09 a.m., according to police radio summaries, after a caller reported an injured officer in the parking lot. The shooting unfolded as crowds left the North Lamar venue, a strip of late-night businesses and shopping centers in North Austin. Armstrong, who joined the Precinct 3 office in 2024, was working a secondary security job at the club, officials said. He was located outside the building with “trauma to his body,” according to police. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. “Despite the efforts of medical personnel, the deputy succumbed to his injuries,” the Precinct 3 statement said.
Authorities said the suspected shooter initially fled. By about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, members of the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from Austin police Air Support and K-9 units and DPS troopers, took a suspect into custody. Officials did not immediately release the suspect’s name or age. Detectives continued interviews through the evening and are reviewing whether additional people witnessed the shooting or recorded it as crowds left the parking lot. Police said they are collecting any surveillance video from nearby businesses that may show the moments before and after the gunfire.
Armstrong’s killing is being investigated as a homicide. As is standard in Austin, the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office will handle death examination procedures while police compile their case for prosecutors. The Austin Police Department said case updates will be provided at a news conference Monday afternoon. Any potential charges will be released after detectives confer with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. Investigators said they are working to establish the relationship, if any, between Armstrong and the suspect, and to determine what preceded the gunfire in the lot.
The shooting drew a heavy police presence along North Lamar before dawn. Yellow tape sealed off the club’s lot as patrol cars idled with their emergency lights on, and detectives placed evidence markers near vehicles parked close to the entrance. Neighbors watched from apartment balconies across the boulevard. “We’re devastated,” a Caldwell County Precinct 3 spokesperson said. “Our thoughts are with Deputy Armstrong’s family and colleagues.” The Austin Police Association posted condolences and said officers across the region would support the family while the investigation moves forward.
As of Monday morning, police had not released the suspect’s identity or a possible motive. Detectives plan to deliver an update and take questions at an afternoon briefing on Monday, Jan. 5. Additional details, including any charges and the suspect’s first court appearance, are expected after that briefing.
Author note: Last updated January 5, 2026.