In the early hours of January 1, a celebration turned grim at a business complex in North Lamar, where a young life was extinguished by the cold mechanics of gunfire. The Austin Police Department reported an emergency call at 7801 N. Lamar Blvd. #B148 at around 1:28 a.m., per the City of Austin’s official website. Upon arrival, they found Isaiah Atkinson, an 18-year-old Black male, unresponsive, his chest bearing the marks of trauma. Pronounced deceased within moments, Atkinson became Austin’s first homicide victim of the new year, according to the Austin Police Department’s statement.
The investigation into the shooting indicates that it occurred during a disturbance at a party held within the same event center. While the initial stages of the homicide investigation had the suspect as unknown, a breakthrough came within days. On January 7, Alton Williams III, a 19-year-old Black male, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force on charges of first-degree murder in connection with Atkinson’s death. Found in Pflugerville, Williams was taken into custody and is now awaiting his day in court while being held at the Travis County Jail…