A gunman opened fire Monday in the parking lot of a Target store in Texas’ capital, killing two adults and a child before stealing two cars during a getaway that ended with police using a Taser to detain him on the other side of the city.
Axar.az informs, citing AP, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspect is a man in his 30s with “a mental health history.” Police said they were still working to determine a motive.
The suspect fled the scene in a stolen car, wrecked that car and then stole another from a dealership, Davis said. He was captured about 32 kilometers away, in south Austin, where he was taken into custody, she said during a news conference.
Davis said officers responding to a call at about 2:15 p.m. found three people shot in the Target parking lot. Davis said they believe one of the people who was shot was the owner of the car stolen from the store’s parking lot.
An adult and child were pronounced dead at the scene, while another adult died after being taken to the hospital, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. EMS officials said a fourth person was treated for a minor medical complaint not related to traumatic injuries.
“This is a very sad day for Austin. It’s a very sad day for us all and my condolences go out to the families,” Davis said. She said she had no information to release about the victims.