APD officer suspended for unauthorized high-speed maneuver in chase

An Austin police officer was temporarily suspended for one day after an internal investigation found he violated department policy by conducting a high-speed maneuver to immobilize a vehicle without supervisor approval.

According to a Jan. 15 memorandum from Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the discipline stems from a June 20, 2025 incident in which Officer Mason Brown witnessed what he believed to be a drive-by shooting from a moving vehicle in East Austin. Brown pursued the suspect vehicle for about 14 minutes over roughly 23 miles, then executed a PIT maneuver at nearly 90 mph after supervisors had denied authorization for a high-speed PIT and instructed him to slow below policy limits.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver is “a technique used by law enforcement personnel to force a fleeing vehicle to abruptly turn 180 degrees, causing the vehicle to stall and stop.”

Department policy generally prohibits PIT maneuvers above 40 mph without explicit supervisor authorization.

“Brown requested to conduct a high-speed PIT that was denied by the control supervisor Sgt. Hutchins,” the original complaint against Brown read. “Brown later stated that he was going to attempt to PIT after the speed was reported to be 70 mph. The new control supervisor, Sgt. Paredes, told Brown that he would need to slow down, below 40mph. Brown then conducted a PIT at 87 mph. Officer Brown, by his actions, may have violated APD General Orders.”

Internal Affairs determined Brown did not receive approval to perform the maneuver at that speed and acknowledged during the investigation that he knew he was exceeding policy limits at the time.

Brown disputed that he violated policy, arguing exigent circumstances and public safety concerns justified his actions.

“I considered the risk and this suspect’s risk to the public far outweighed the risk of conducting the PIT,” Brown said in the memo. “This is not normal circumstances, to be clear. This is a violent act of felony offense in my presence in front of a police officer in a fully marked police car.”

According to the memorandum, the incident began around 2:30 a.m. June 20 when Brown was driving east on Rosewood Avenue. The memo states he observed a black sedan run a stop sign at Thompson Street and then again at Bedford Street.

As Brown prepared to initiate a traffic stop, he reported seeing a gun fired multiple times from the passenger-side window of the vehicle toward a nearby apartment complex, the memo said. Brown later told investigators he could not determine whether the shots were aimed at a specific person but believed the residences were occupied due to the time of night.

Brown reported the shooting to dispatch and activated his lights and siren, but the vehicle did not stop, the memo said. A pursuit followed, with Brown asking other officers to check on possible victims while he continued chasing the suspect vehicle.

During the chase, Brown requested permission to conduct a high-speed PIT maneuver. That request was denied by a supervising sergeant, and Brown was later instructed by another supervisor to slow the pursuit below 40 mph — the department’s general speed threshold for PIT maneuvers without special authorization.

Despite those instructions, Brown executed a PIT maneuver at approximately 87 mph. The driver of the vehicle fled on foot, while the passenger — identified as the suspected shooter — remained at the scene and was taken into custody.

Brown argued that the circumstances justified immediate action and that continuing the pursuit would likely have put others in danger.

In deciding discipline, Davis cited the risks posed by the maneuver and Brown’s lack of acceptance of responsibility. Davis also considered Brown’s prior disciplinary history, which included earlier incidents in 2023 involving similar high-speed PIT maneuvers that posed risks to him and other drivers.

The suspension took place on Jan. 16, and Brown retains the right to appeal under Texas civil service and union contract provisions.