Officer-Involved Shooting in East Lubbock, Suspect in Critical Condition

A 39-year-old man, Eliseo Padilla III, has been charged with Aggravated Assault against a Public Servant following an officer-involved shooting in East Lubbock on Sunday morning.

Lubbock Police were dispatched to the 300 block of East 37th Street at 9:00 a.m. on August 11th in response to a reported domestic disturbance. According to initial information provided to dispatch, Padilla was armed with a gun and had caused property damage at the residence.

The first responding officer arrived at the scene at 9:07 a.m. and encountered Padilla in front of the house. Padilla, who was verbally combative, refused to comply with the officer’s repeated instructions to place his hands on a nearby vehicle for a pat-down. After multiple commands and being aware that Padilla was armed, the officer deployed a department-issued Taser in an attempt to subdue him. Despite the use of the Taser, Padilla drew a firearm and fired at the officer. In response, the officer returned fire at 9:09 a.m.

The officer was unharmed and immediately reported the shots fired, requesting EMS assistance. Additional officers arrived on the scene and administered life-saving measures to Padilla. He was then transported to University Medical Center by ambulance with life-threatening injuries.

The incident is under investigation by the Lubbock Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit, the Lubbock Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards, and the department’s forensic unit. The officer involved in the shooting has been employed by the Lubbock Police Department since January 2015 and is currently on routine administrative leave, in accordance with department policy.

Padilla, who remains in critical condition at University Medical Center, has been served a warrant for Aggravated Assault against a Public Servant, with his bond set at $300,000.