An Austin police officer who was caught on video punching an unsuspecting bar-goer on Sixth Street last October has been fired.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis issued an indefinite suspension for former Officer Andy Garcia earlier this month. The memo effectively terminates Garcia's employment, though he can appeal the decision.
Garcia was one of several officers who were criticised for their actions last year after a video of the incident surfaced online. James Rodriguez was one of a handful of people on Sixth Street approached by officers during a scuffle before Garcia suddenly punched him, knocking him out. Rodriguez has since sued the city and Garcia for excessive force in federal court. Garcia and another officer were taken off patrol after the incident, which Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called "inexcusable and indefensible" in October.
Garcia's disciplinary memo, obtained by KUT News, calls his response "unreasonable and unnecessary."
"His actions ... brought embarrassment to APD and/or the City of Austin," Davis said, adding that the case has been referred to the department's Special Investigations Unit, which works with the Travis County District Attorney's Office to prosecute police misconduct.
Garcia's disciplinary memo lays out 18 violations of the Austin Police Department's general orders, including an incident in which he allegedly struck a man in the spine with a flashlight days before knocking out Rodriguez. Davis said allowing him to continue as an officer would be a "disservice to the members of the public."
"Any one of the above-mentioned ... cases individually warrants Officer Garcia's indefinite suspension," Davis wrote. "The cumulative cases unquestionably do as well."
