A gunman opened fire in a Target store parking lot in Austin on Monday, killing at least three people before stealing two vehicles and being apprehended by police following a city-wide manhunt, authorities said, reported news agency AP.
Austin police chief Lisa Davis confirmed the suspect, a man in his 30s with “a mental health history,” first fled the scene in a stolen car, crashed it, then stole another vehicle from a dealership. He was eventually captured in south Austin after officers used a Taser to detain him.
“This is a very sad day for Austin. It’s a very sad day for us all and my condolences go out to the families,” Davis said at a press briefing, as quoted by the agency.
She added that three people were found shot in the Target parking lot. Two victims died on the spot, while a third succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Another person was treated on site for unrelated injuries.
The attack occurred amid busy back-to-school shopping hours, intensifying panic at the scene. At a nearby Jiffy Lube sharing the same parking lot, employees locked doors and sheltered inside.
“I had just gotten back from Target like a minute before,” said Paul Smith, an employee who witnessed people fleeing in a panic, according to the agency.
Austin-Travis county emergency services chief Robert Luckritz confirmed the fatalities and said emergency crews responded quickly.
Mayor Kirk Watson condemned the violence, posting on X, “This is a devastating situation, and my heart is with the victims and their families… this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence.”
Target has not issued a statement yet.
The incident comes shortly after a similar attack in Michigan, where a man stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Traverse City on July 26.
Austin police chief Lisa Davis confirmed the suspect, a man in his 30s with “a mental health history,” first fled the scene in a stolen car, crashed it, then stole another vehicle from a dealership. He was eventually captured in south Austin after officers used a Taser to detain him.
“This is a very sad day for Austin. It’s a very sad day for us all and my condolences go out to the families,” Davis said at a press briefing, as quoted by the agency.
She added that three people were found shot in the Target parking lot. Two victims died on the spot, while a third succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Another person was treated on site for unrelated injuries.
#BREAKING: At least two people have died and two others were injured following a shooting at the Target store.
— Nexus (@nexusdossiers) August 11, 2025
📍8601 Research Blvd. in North Austin, Texas.
Law enforcement responded quickly and have arrested the suspect. Emergency medical services reported a total of four… pic.twitter.com/hdnkVawzfz
The attack occurred amid busy back-to-school shopping hours, intensifying panic at the scene. At a nearby Jiffy Lube sharing the same parking lot, employees locked doors and sheltered inside.
“I had just gotten back from Target like a minute before,” said Paul Smith, an employee who witnessed people fleeing in a panic, according to the agency.
Austin-Travis county emergency services chief Robert Luckritz confirmed the fatalities and said emergency crews responded quickly.
Mayor Kirk Watson condemned the violence, posting on X, “This is a devastating situation, and my heart is with the victims and their families… this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence.”
Target has not issued a statement yet.
The incident comes shortly after a similar attack in Michigan, where a man stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Traverse City on July 26.
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