Police Fatally Shoot Armed 18-Year-Old Wearing Only His Underwear

A star high school athlete was shot dead by police in his underwear near his family's million-dollar home.

Austin Hodo, 18, was shot by deputies in a gated Texas neighborhood after he fired a handgun at 5 a.m.

A family is grieving and a quiet neighborhood is in shock after a young life ended in gunfire. It is the kind of tragedy that leaves everyone asking how a young man with a bright future could lose his life in minutes.

WHAT HAPPENED

Early Wednesday morning, police in Boerne, Texas, got calls about a man shooting a gun. Callers said a young man was walking down the road in his underwear and firing a gun.

Four deputies arrived at the gated neighborhood just after 5 a.m. Dashcam video shows 18-year-old Austin Hodo walking toward them. He had a gun in his left hand and dragged a shirt in his right hand.

Deputies yelled at him to drop the gun. Hodo did not listen, raised the weapon, and fired. Deputies shot back, hitting Hodo. They tried to save him, but he died at the scene.

FACT BOX

• Where it happened: A gated neighborhood in Boerne, Texas, near a $1.3 million home.
• The time: Calls began at 4:55 a.m., and deputies arrived at 5:04 a.m. on Wednesday.
• The school: Hodo recently finished high school at a private school that costs up to $18,360 a year.
• The future: Hodo was a football star who planned to go to Texas Tech this fall.
• The officers: Four deputies were at the scene, and none of them were hurt.

WHY IT MATTERS

This event shows how quickly a quiet night can turn deadly when guns are involved. A young man who had every advantage in life was killed in a place where people usually feel safe.

It also shows the hard choices police face when they meet someone who has a gun and will not follow orders.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office is looking into the shooting. They will study the dashcam video and radio calls to see what went wrong.

The neighborhood is trying to support the family. The sheriff has asked people of faith to pray for everyone hurt by this event.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

1. Why was Austin Hodo walking in his underwear and firing a gun in the middle of the night?
2. Was Hodo having a mental health crisis, or was he under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
3. Did Hodo have any past trouble with the law or show signs of distress before this night?