Austin Police Officer Indicted for Fatal Shooting of Tech Entrepreneur

Rajan Moonesinghe was shot on his porch while holding a rifle, sparking controversy over police conduct and training.

Austin Police Officer Daniel Sanchez has been indicted by a Texas grand jury for the fatal shooting of tech entrepreneur Rajan Moonesinghe on his own porch in November 2022.
Moonesinghe, who was holding a rifle and had fired into his home believing it had been burgled, was shot almost simultaneously with police orders for him to drop the gun.
Sanchez's defense attorney and the Austin Police Department have defended the officer's actions, stating they were consistent with his training and that he was responding to a perceived threat in a densely populated neighborhood.
Moonesinghe's family has disputed the police department's account, stating that he was not a threat and that he was shot while his gun was pointed at the ground.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza, who has previously indicted more than 20 Austin police officers following the 2020 George Floyd protests, stated that the grand jury found Sanchez's conduct to be unlawful.