A Texas suspect, Shane James, 34, is under investigation for killing his parents near San Antonio and then allegedly committing four additional homicides in the Austin area. James was arrested in Austin on Tuesday night and charged with murder in one district; further charges are expected in another. A police sergeant stated on Wednesday that James has been battling mental health issues for years and was previously arrested for suspected family assault.
As local law enforcement in Travis and Bexar counties work to piece together how the brutal violence transpired and if the suspect had contact with the victims aside from his family, affected communities must now grapple once again with the known turmoil of gun violence in America, resulting in lasting emotional scars.
Here's what we know about the Texas murders so far:
Parents found dead "in a disturbing scene"
It is believed that James shot his parents in their San Antonio home between 10:00 and 10:00 PM. The last contact with a sibling was on Monday at 9:00 AM. Sheriff Javier Salazar of Bexar County confirmed this on Tuesday.
The parents were identified as Phyllis James, 55, and Shane James Sr., 56, the Sheriff said. Sources mentioned that multiple gunshots from a large-caliber handgun were fired. Authorities have urged anyone who heard or saw anything in the area during that time to come forward.
Investigators speculate that following the killing of his parents, the suspect traveled approximately 80 miles to the Austin area, where the rest of the homicides occurred. Salazar mentioned that Bexar County officials discovered James' connection to his family in the San Antonio area on Tuesday night, prompting the Austin Police Department to receive a tip and initiate investigations.
Austin city violence details
At approximately 10:40 AM on Tuesday, the Austin Police Department responded to a shooting at an Austin Independent School District campus. The incident left a school police officer injured. The officer is currently recovering at home.
Shortly before noon, police in Austin received reports of a shooting around 12 miles from the school. Police arrived at the scene to find Emmanuel Pop Ba, 32, and Sabrina Rahman, 24, with gunshot wounds. Pop Ba was pronounced dead on the scene, while Rahman was transported to a local hospital, where she later succumbed to her wounds.
The connection between the victims and the suspect remains unclear, as authorities continue their investigation.
Still later, at 5:47 PM, Austin police received a call about a shooting victim 6 miles away from the second incident. The bicycle rider was hospitalized and subsequently released.
At 6:48 PM, Austin police responded to an intrusion call about 2 miles away from the site of the shooting of the bicycle rider. Upon arriving, authorities found James in the backyard of his home, immediately firing multiple shots at an officer. The officer returned fire, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. The officer is currently recovering.
James reportedly fled the scene in a vehicle, which subsequently crashed, resulting in his arrest. Reports indicated that he had a weapon on him. James now faces charges in Travis County regarding homicides and potential additional charges related to battery and domestic violence.
