Austin, United States - June 17, 2024

The Austin Police Department (APD) has released body camera footage shedding light on the circumstances leading to the death of Jermaine Joseph Sims, 35, who died shortly after being taken into custody following a disturbance at a convenience store on June 17.

According to APD reports, officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting an erratic individual throwing objects at the Circle K convenience store on the South Interstate 35 frontage road in southeast Austin. Sims allegedly escalated the situation by stealing a pickup truck from a nearby gas pump, driving the wrong way onto the I-35 southbound frontage road at Slaughter Lane, and colliding with several vehicles before being apprehended by police at approximately 4:10 p.m.

Bodycam footage reveals Sims, unclothed and exiting the vehicle post-crash, being subdued and handcuffed by officers. He was subsequently transported to a local hospital by Austin-Travis County EMS, where he was pronounced dead at 6:04 p.m.

While APD did not disclose the exact cause of Sims' death, preliminary assessments suggest injuries sustained in the crash may have contributed. APD clarified that Sims did not sustain serious injuries during the arrest process, and no lethal force was employed by officers.

The incident is under investigation by both the APD Special Investigations Unit and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office for potential criminal implications, alongside an internal review conducted by APD’s Internal Affairs Unit with oversight from the Office of Police Oversight.