Aug. 11 (UPI) — Three people were shot to death Monday outside of a Target store in north Austin, Texas, according to police, who said the suspect is in custody.
Calls about shots fired at the Research Boulevard location were received at 2:15 p.m. local time. Officers said they found three people with gunshot wounds when they arrived.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. A third person was transported to a nearby hospital before also being pronounced dead. A fourth person was treated for unrelated injuries.
The suspect, who has not been identified and is 32-years-old, carjacked a vehicle from the parking lot and fled the scene, according to Davis, who said the person inside the carjacked vehicle was among those killed.
The suspect crashed the car and stole another vehicle from a dealership before police caught up with him in south Austin, where he was tased and taken into custody, Davis added.
She said the suspect has a criminal history and mental health issues.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called the shooting “devastating.”
“This is a devastating situation, and my heart is with the victims and their families. While this remains an active and ongoing investigation, what I’ll say is that this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence,” Watson wrote Monday in a post on X.
“I am grateful for the quick response of our APD officers and other first responders and want to thank them for their actions to apprehend the suspect,” Watson added.
The Austin Police Department announced that all vehicles parked in the Target parking lot would have to remain where they are during the investigation.
“Due to the active crime scene at the Target on Research Boulevard, vehicles in the parking lot cannot be released until the initial investigation is complete,” Austin Police wrote Monday in a post on X.
“Please arrange alternate transportation home. We will share an update as soon as it is safe to retrieve your vehicle.”