On Monday, August 11th, a shooting incident occurred in the parking lot of a Target store in Austin, Texas, resulting in at least 3 people dead. The suspect, after committing the crime, drove two stolen cars to escape, and was eventually subdued and arrested by the police using a stun gun.
According to the authorities, the suspect is a man in his thirties with a history of “mental health problems.” After the shooting, he fled the scene driving a stolen vehicle, crashed that car, and then stole another car from a dealership. The suspect was eventually captured by the police in the South Austin area about 32 kilometers away from the shooting scene.
The police received the report at 2:15 pm that day and upon arrival, found three gunshot victims, with two dead at the scene, the third pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital, and another receiving on-site treatment for other injuries.
Target company issued a statement to local media CBS Austin, expressing shock over the incident, and promising full cooperation with the local law enforcement investigation, as well as providing counseling and support services for employees and affected customers.
Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin posted a statement on social media expressing, “This is a heartbreaking situation, my heart goes out to the victims and their families. Although the case is still under investigation, I want to say this is a despicable and cowardly act of gun violence.”
This shooting incident took place less than two weeks after a similar attack at a Walmart store in Travis City, Michigan. On July 26th, a man stabbed 11 people inside the Walmart and is facing charges of terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder.
The Austin police are currently investigating this incident.
(This article referenced relevant reports from the Associated Press)