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Texas attorney found dead four days after threatening to shoot ex-girlfriend at bar, police say

Police said they found Gavin Rush's body on Wednesday after receiving a call for a welfare check, and his death is not considered suspicious.

A Texas attorney who pulled a gun and threatened to shoot his ex-girlfriend at a bar last week has been discovered dead by police. 

The Austin Police Department found the body of Gavin Rush, 41, on Wednesday just before 4:30 p.m. after a call requesting a welfare check.

Police said his death is not considered suspicious, and the investigation is ongoing. Officials did not share how he died.

He was found dead just four days after he was arrested on Nov. 26 after pulling a gun on his ex-girlfriend while she was working at a bar.

The victim told police Rush was her ex-boyfriend of three years and their relationship ended about a month and a half ago, according to the arrest affidavit. She said that over the course of the prior week he had been attempting to rekindle their relationship but found out she was interested in a relationship with someone new, the affidavit said.

For several days the victim and Rush texted and he made “threats to harm himself and the other person” that she was starting a relationship with. She eventually stopped responding to his messages because she was at work, the affidavit stated.

She was working behind the counter at a bar in the 10400 block of Anderson Mill Road on Saturday when Rush entered, sat on a barstool and put a small leather satchel on the counter.

He stated to the victim, “so you just aren’t going to talk to me?” and she replied "No." He then reached into satchel, procured a pistol and pointed it at her, activating a laser sight with the red dot centered on her chest. 

Two bar patrons seated next to Rush, who knew both him and the victim and about his threats, told police they saw the red dot on her chest and one of them lunged towards Rush and both tackled him to the ground. 

One of those patrons said as they were going towards the ground, Rush "placed the pistol under his chin and attempted to shoot himself in the head," the affidavit said.

The patrons eventually were able to remove the pistol from Rush and held him down until he was taken into custody by officers.

He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly assault weapon involving family violence that same day.

The gun was fired three times, with three spent shell casings and one live unfired round found on the floor of the bar, the affidavit said.

Investigators determined one bullet struck the bar mirror just behind where the female victim was standing. The incident was also caught on security cameras at the bar, the filing said.

Austin Councilmember Mackenzie Kelly posted the purported surveillance video footage of that interaction on Twitter, writing: “This attorney belongs behind bars, pending a lengthy jury of his peers. I’m deeply disturbed watching this video and committed to a safe city.”

The Austin Police Department would not confirm the footage, and said they did not release it. 

Rush was ordered to stay 200 yards away from the victim, have no contact with her and to not possess a firearm. The judge had also granted an emergency protection order for the victim, court records show.

Rush was released two days later on $40,000 bond, NBC affiliate WOAI of San Antonio reported.

On LinkedIn, Rush's place of work is listed as law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane & Conway.

The firm told NBC News in a statement Friday that “Rush was separated from the firm when his actions came to light."

"There are a variety of actions that are not in keeping with the moral, cultural, or professional standards expected of an officer of the court or a member of the firm. Violation of these standards triggers a separation from the firm,” the statement said. “We do not tolerate hatred or violence of any kind. Our thoughts remain with the victims of such trauma.”

The statement said that after Rush was "separated" from the firm, "he was encouraged to use the variety of support and behavioral health resources we provide."