Child among 3 killed in north Austin shooting, suspect detained

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Three people were shot and killed, including a child, in a Target parking lot in north Austin Monday afternoon, according to the Austin Police Department.

The suspected shooter, who APD said has a history of struggles with mental health, was detained after fleeing the scene in a stolen vehicle, according to police.

Monday night, Austin-Travis County EMS confirmed one adult and one child died at the scene of the shooting. Another adult was taken to a local hospital where they later died, ATCEMS said.

It started just after 2 p.m. when Austin police responded to a hotshot call at 8601 Research Blvd. According to police, three people were suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot. The shooting did not occur inside the store, APD said.

A fourth person was treated for unrelated injuries, EMS said.

Police said the suspect stole a vehicle from the scene, drove away and crashed. The suspect then stole another vehicle and was later found by APD officers in southeast Austin.

KXAN was at that scene of the shooting, where a black SUV had crashed into several parked vehicles and was resting on top of another.

The suspect was described as a white man, approximately 32-years-old. Police released a description of his clothing prior his arrest, saying he was possibly wearing khaki shorts and a Hawaiian/floral shirt, and urged the public at the time not to approach him.

According to police, he has a history of mental health struggles. 

The suspect was apprehended about 18.5 miles from the shooting scene. Officers found him in the 2400 block of La Costa Court after police received a “call for service” in the area, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. 

“I believe the subject got out of the car another person called I don’t know what the behaviors were at that point,” Chief Davis said during an early evening press conference Monday. She also offered condolences to the victims and their families.

“This is a very sad day for Austin. A very sad day for us all and my condolences go out to the families,” Chief Davis said. “Our thoughts are with the family. This is a tragic time. Our thoughts are with the officers and EMS and fire who have to come and do the work here at the scene, forensics, everyone that’s doing the scene.”

Davis explained that Target customers had been evacuated to a nearby pet supply store, for everyone’s safety.

“I was inside the store but then I hear on the radio like ‘shots fired,’ so then they just told us ‘active shooter’…so we just ran outside. We told guests to get out,” Target employee Freyen Sagastume said. “I thought that this only happened like in the news and stuff and then like I kind of just froze at first but then I saw everyone running.”

Those customers were also asked to secure alternate transportation away from the scene because the cars in the parking lot were considered part of an active crime scene.

In a post on X, APD said vehicles that were left in the Target parking lot were “cleared for pickup starting at 10 p.m.” Monday evening.

“We want to empty those the store and reunite them and get them out of here if they were not a witness to the scene. But the cars are going to have to stay here until we’re done with the scene,” Davis had previously said.