By Anita Miller
The Texas Rangers have launched an investigation into an officer-involved shooting following the death of the suspect in a Thursday incident that began in Wimberley.
Nathan Harrington, 43, was pronounced dead at a local hospital by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Beth Smith. His last known address was in Pflugerville, the county said, although online records indicate he was a resident of Kyle when booked into Hays County Jail in 2017 and 2019.
One deputy was injured during the Thursday incident. Lt. Dennis Gutierrez did not name the deputy but said his injuries were the result of a vehicle crash.
Harrington came to the attention of authorities around 4:40 p.m. Thursday when deputies responded to the Exxon station in the 14000 block of Ranch Road 12 in Wimberley for a possibly suicidal subject. Subsequently, they learned the man had stolen a vehicle and was headed north on RR 12 toward Dripping Springs.
While being pursued by Hays County deputies and a Texas HIghway Patrol trooper, the suspect vehicle turned east on FM 150 and was brought to a stop by a “pursuit immobilization technique.”
Once the suspect vehicle was stopped Harrington began firing a weapon and deputies responded.
Though he only had two prior arrests in Hays County, Gutierrez said Harrington had “an extensive criminal history that included multiple felony drug arrests, evading and weapons arrests” elsewhere.
Harrington’s name was not released until Friday morning because of difficulty in locating and notifying his next of kin.
Gutierrez said the Rangers and the sheriff’s office are investigating jointly “and will release information as it becomes available.” He did not elaborate on the chase or the technique used to immobilize the stolen vehicle.
