Photo: Bjoern Wylezich / iStock / Getty Images
Three people are dead following a shooting at a Target parking lot in North Austin, Texas, on Monday (August 11). Police responded to the incident at 8601 Research Boulevard at 2:15 p.m. local time, arriving within four minutes, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third succumbed to injuries at the hospital, as reported by Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Chief Robert Luckritz. A fourth individual was treated for non-gunshot-related injuries.
The suspect, a 32-year-old white man with a history of mental health issues, fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. He later crashed and hijacked a second car before being apprehended by police in South Austin. Chief Davis noted that the suspect has a criminal record and has previously been placed in emergency detention holds due to posing a substantial risk of harm to himself or others.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown, and authorities have not yet released information about the victims. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed his condolences on social media, stating, "This is a devastating situation, and my heart is with the victims and their families." He condemned the act as a "sickening, cowardly act of gun violence."
The investigation is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge as the situation develops.