Austin, Texas – August 11: On Monday afternoon, a shooting in the parking lot of a Target store in Austin claimed the lives of two adults and a child, authorities confirmed.
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect — a man in his 30s with a history of mental health issues — opened fire around 2:15 pm before fleeing the scene in a stolen car. Police believe one of the victims was the owner of the first stolen vehicle.
The suspect later wrecked that car, stole another from a showroom, and was arrested about 20 miles away in South Austin after police used a Taser to subdue him.
Emergency Medical Services reported that an adult and a child died at the scene, while another adult died in hospital. A fourth person was treated for a minor medical complaint.
“This is a very sad day for Austin. My condolences go out to the families,” Chief Davis said.
The incident occurred during back-to-school shopping. Target said in a statement that they were “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and would provide grief counselling to their staff.
