A man with a reported mental health history opened fire Monday afternoon in the parking lot of a Target store, killing two adults and a child before fleeing in stolen vehicles during a chaotic crime spree that ended with his arrest, police said.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said officers responded to the shooting at about 2:15 p.m., finding three victims in the parking lot. An adult and a child were pronounced dead at the scene, and another adult died at the hospital.
Chaotic Getaway
According to Davis, the gunman — described as a man in his 30s — first stole a car from the Target lot, crashed it, then stole another vehicle from a nearby dealership. He was taken into custody about 20 miles away in south Austin after police used a Taser to subdue him.
One of the victims is believed to have been the owner of the first stolen vehicle. Police have not yet identified the victims or released a motive.
Witness Accounts
The attack happened in the midst of back-to-school shopping. Witness Lonnie Lee, 22, said she and her sister had visited the Target just hours earlier before returning to find the parking lot filled with police. “We got really, really lucky,” she said. “And some people didn’t.”
Nearby, employees at a Jiffy Lube locked their doors as the shooting unfolded. Paul Smith, an employee, said he had just returned from Target moments before the gunfire and saw shoppers running in panic.
Community Response
“This is a very sad day for Austin,” Chief Davis said. “My condolences go out to the families.”
Target released a statement saying they were “devastated” and would provide grief counseling to staff. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called the attack a “sickening, cowardly act of gun violence.”
The incident comes just over two weeks after a stabbing attack at a Walmart in Michigan left 11 people wounded.
