A South Austin restaurant owner has shared a harrowing encounter after being held at gunpoint. Jeremy Shirk, proprietor of Conans Pizza South, recounted the frightening experience that unfolded just 30 minutes before he was set to host a fundraiser for a local school.
The incident occurred on October 15, when a homeless man entered Shirk’s establishment on W Stassney Lane. Shirk described the man as disheveled and intoxicated, stating that he began to create a mess inside the restaurant.
After asking the man to leave, Shirk followed him outside to ensure he vacated the premises. It was then that the situation escalated dramatically. “When I was escorting him into the parking lot to make sure he got off my property, he turned around and pointed a gun in my face,” Shirk recounted.
The alarming exchange was captured on the restaurant’s security cameras. Footage shows the man dropping two bags before retrieving a handgun from his backpack. He then chambered a round and aimed the weapon at Shirk multiple times, who attempted to deflect it. “I just yelled at him, told him to get the F off my property, and he saw that I wasn’t going to budge, and so he did,” Shirk said.
Eventually, the man retreated after Shirk managed to talk him down. Following the incident, Shirk contacted law enforcement, leading to the arrest of 30-year-old Austin Shiel, who has since been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Shiel’s criminal record includes felony assault, theft, and possession offenses dating back to 2014.
Shirk expressed his frustration with the ongoing issues of violence in the neighborhood, claiming to have grown desensitized to such encounters. He attributed much of the problem to the nearby Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center, a nonprofit organization that assists the homeless.
“They just fan out after they receive the service. After Sunrise is closed, they just fan out into the neighborhoods and do what they do,” he explained, highlighting his concerns about the safety of his business and the surrounding area.
The Sunrise Navigation Center, located approximately 1.2 miles from Conans Pizza, serves as the largest homeless service provider in Travis County, reportedly aiding around 300 individuals daily. The center has stated its commitment to addressing homelessness in the community in collaboration with local authorities.
Shirk has previously encountered issues related to crime and safety in the vicinity, including a break-in earlier this year. He recounted seeing the perpetrator at the Sunrise center the following morning, indicating a connection between the center’s operations and neighborhood disturbances.
In response to Shirk’s comments, the Sunrise Navigation Center issued a statement emphasizing its effectiveness in re-housing individuals experiencing homelessness and its collaborative efforts with local businesses and law enforcement to enhance public safety.
While Shirk acknowledges the importance of assisting the homeless, he believes a relocation of the center would be beneficial. He pointed to past efforts, including working with the state Attorney General, who had previously sued the center over its impact on the community’s quality of life.
“I absolutely agree with what they’re doing. I’m totally for helping the unhoused and helping the people that want to improve their lives,” Shirk stated. “I feel like the city should use every tool possible to find a better location that’s further away from schools, further away from the community and have real solutions to the addiction crisis that’s coming in.”
Efforts to reach the City of Austin for comments on potential plans to address homelessness in the area remain ongoing, as the community continues to grapple with these pressing issues.
