Austin Target Shooting Leaves Three Dead, Suspect in Custody

A horrific shooting at a North Austin Target store's parking lot on Monday has left three people dead and shocked the local community. The suspect, a man with a documented history of mental health issues, was apprehended after a frantic city-wide manhunt.

The Incident and Manhunt

According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, officers responded to a call at approximately 2:15 p.m. to find three people with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the Target at 8601 Research Boulevard. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third later died at a local hospital. A fourth individual was treated for non-life-threatening injuries unrelated to the shooting.

The suspect, described as a man in his 30s, fled the scene in a car he had stolen from one of the victims. He then crashed that vehicle and carjacked a second one from a nearby dealership. The manhunt ended in South Austin, where officers used a Taser to subdue and arrest him. His identity has not yet been released.

Official Responses and Investigation

Chief Davis stated that the suspect has a "rap sheet" and has been subject to previous emergency detention holds due to his mental health history. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation, and police have not determined whether the victims knew the suspect. The attack occurred during the busy back-to-school shopping season, adding to the panic.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed his condolences, calling it a "sickening, cowardly act of gun violence." The Target Corporation also released a statement, saying they were "devastated by the violence" and would be providing grief counseling to employees.