Three people are dead after a chaotic shooting erupted outside a Target store in North Austin, Texas, on Monday, August 11, according to local officials.
Austin Police say the violence began just after 2 p.m. at the Target on 8601 Research Boulevard. Witnesses reported gunfire and saw a man wearing khaki shorts and a floral print shirt fleeing the scene.
Within an hour, police had the suspect in custody — but not before a dramatic chase. Authorities say the 32-year-old man first stole a car from the Target parking lot, believed to belong to one of the shooting victims, then crashed it and stole another vehicle from a dealership. Officers finally caught up to him in South Austin, subduing him with a stun gun before making the arrest.
“This is a very sad day for Austin,” Police Chief Lisa Davis said, noting the suspect has a history of mental health issues.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called it a “sickening, cowardly act of gun violence” and praised the fast work of first responders in tracking down the suspect.
The investigation into the deadly attack is ongoing.
No, Mayor Watson not a “sickening cowardly act of gun violence”. This was the act of a mentally ill asshole that according to all the gun laws I ever heard of was not allowed, legally, to even touch a firearm; let alone wandering around the streets of Austin with one. Another spectacular Fail for gun control. All those laws do is insure that the law-abiding citizens of your city were deprived of the means to protect themselves from idiots like this guy that shot these 3 people. Good job there “gun control proponents” Your laws don’t stop this kind of thing from happening. Never will. Now contrast this with the Michigan Walmart attack. Who stopped that? A private citizen with a firearm! When first responders got there the knife welding nut job was “gift wrapped” by Private Citizens, and turned over to them. Hmmm? Texas: 3 dead. Michigan: 11 wounded no deaths, No Shots fired and the suspect “gift wrapped” for law enforcement. On top of everything else in Texas, once again we have a mentally ill person, know to be sick, according to Watson, wandering around with an illegal firearm. Now tell me how well gun control laws work.
Mentally ill people belong in an institution . . .Period