Target shooting is city’s third mass-violence incident this year

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Monday’s shooting outside an Austin Target store that left three people dead marked the city’s third mass violence incident of the year.

Since January, there have been 269 mass shootings in the U.S., according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit that tracks gun-related violence. The organization defines mass shootings as “four or more” people that are shot or killed in a single incident, not including the shooter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation does not define mass shootings but defines an “active shooter” as one or more individuals attempting to kill people in a populated area. Mass killings are defined by law as “three or more people,” according to the FBI.

A KXAN review of the Gun Violence Archive’s database found, so far this year, 22 incidents in Texas that it defined as mass shootings, including two in Austin.

On June 28, four people were shot at 900 E. Braker Lane around 2:25 a.m. The victims sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, according to the Austin Police Department. On March 30, four people were shot inside Lit Lounge at 215 E. 6th Street, according to APD. A suspect was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault mass shooting.

“This is a very sad day for Austin,” said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis shortly after Monday’s shooting. “It’s a very sad day for us all.”

Target said it is “devastated by the violence that occurred” at its store and its “hearts are with the families and loves ones of those who lost their lives, our team in Austin and all those impacted by this tragedy.”

In the wake of the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde in 2022 that killed 21 people, KXAN Investigates launched “Stop Mass Shootings”, a project to provide context and explore solutions surrounding gun violence.