Tragedy in Texas: Three individuals lose their lives due to gunfire in a supermarket.
In a tragic turn of events, a shooting outside a Target store in Austin, Texas, on Monday (14:15 local time) resulted in at least three deaths. The suspect, identified as Ethan Nieneker, a 32-year-old with a documented history of mental health issues and an extensive criminal record, was arrested later in the day.
Upon arrival, the Austin Police Department found three people shot in the parking lot of the supermarket. Two people died at the scene, while the third victim was transported to a local hospital but did not survive their injuries.
The suspect, who fled the scene after stealing a car from a victim, later destroyed the stolen vehicle and stole another from a dealership. No new information about the identity or location of the suspect was provided at the time.
Nieneker was later located by the Austin Police in South Austin and arrested after a "Taser deployment".
The Austin City Council President, Kirk Watson, expressed condolences to the victims and their families, describing the shooting as a "cowardly and reprehensible act of gun violence". Target, too, was devastated by the violence at its Austin store and is working with police in the ongoing investigation.
Nieneker has been charged with two counts of capital murder for killing Adam Chow and his 4-year-old granddaughter, and first-degree felony murder for the death of Rosa Machuca. He claimed to be "Jesus" and gave no clear motive, stating the victims were chosen at random.
Nieneker's firearm was obtained from a family member, raising questions about possible charges for that family member, as federal law generally prohibits individuals convicted of domestic violence from legally possessing guns.
Images of the police response to the shooting can be found in the gallery above. As of 23:56, the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
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