AUSTIN, Texas – Friends of a man who was shot to death last week in Northeast Austin are sharing their memories of him.
Police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Clayton Taitague. He’s being charged with the murder of 30-year-old Tyler Cochran.
Austin police said Cochran was shot dead by Taitague and then seconds later, an unnamed security employee shot Taitague and critically injured him.
“The security officer did use his firearm in self-defense,” Austin Police Department Homicide Detective Bradley Parks said.
This all happened in the parking lot of the Michelobos Sports Bar off East Braker Lane in Northeast Austin in the early morning hours of Nov. 1. It’s an area police are very familiar with, responding to 34 calls for service last year and 61 so far this year.
“It’s not just the number of calls for service, but the intensity of those calls,” Austin Police Commander Lee Davis said.
“Most likely as a direct result of the presence of several nightclubs in this area, sports bars and after-hour establishments,” Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said.
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The commander who oversees the area said they’ve been meeting with property owners and managers since April to determine what’s making this a “corrupt zone.”
“I want to reassure the community that things are happening, they’re happening aggressively and at a quick pace. We want to make sure that our communities know that we hear you, and you set our priorities,” Commander Davis said.
Commander Davis said this area is a priority, so families like the Whitts don’t have to experience such a tragedy.
“Shock, disbelief,” a friend of Tyler Cochran, Bobby Whitt, said.
Whitt said Cochran lived with him and his family from age 14 until about 19.
“He was definitely like a big brother to me,” Bobby Whitts’ daughter, Piper Whitt, said.
“He was just always trying to live life and love life,” Bobby Whitt said.
Whitt said at the time of the shooting, Cochran was doing well, he had a girlfriend he was living with in College Station and had a steady job working in construction.
“To go out at such a peak, it really makes us wonder where he could have gone, what was next,” Bobby Whitt said.
The Austin Police Department said they have not spoken with the suspect yet as he’s still unconscious in the hospital. Once he’s released, he will be charged with first degree murder. The security employee who fired his gun is not facing any charges.
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