Police say 3 people were fatally shot at a Target in Austin, Texas, and a suspect has been detained
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspect is a man in his 30s with 'a mental health history.'
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
What newly released videos and records reveal about the Uvalde school shooting
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Anguished pleas from parents. Confused police officers. The horrifying scene that emergency crews found when they first got inside the classrooms at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Newly released records surrounding the May 2022 massacre, including hundreds of pages of files and hours of body camera video, show in greater detail the heartbreak and failures of one the worst school shootings in U.S. history. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed. The documents offer a deeper portrait of the teenage gunman and actions of hundreds of law enforcement officers who rushed to the rural South Texas campus. They're the final batch of records local authorities had withheld during a yearslong legal battle over public access. Family members of the victims were among those pushing for their release. Although state and federal investigations over the past three years have extensively examined the shooting, the batches of records provide new glimpses of the panic and indecision by law enforcement officials as they waited more than an hour to confront the shooter. Parents are heard begging police to stop the gunman The official narrative that police quickly rushed to confront and kill 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos had been quickly dismissed by parents who stood outside the school begging for officers to go inside or let them get to their children. Audio released Tuesday detailed their desperation. 'Whose class is he in?' one parent can be heard asking on a deputy's body camera. Another comes up and yells, 'Come on man, my daughter is in there!' Their pleas continued. 'Either you go in or I'm going in bro,' one parent says, adding seconds later, 'My kids are in there, bro. … Please!' Some officers urged quick action. One deputy, who first responded to reports of Ramos shooting his grandmother moments before the school attack, rushed to campus after the first gunshots there. As he donned his ballistics vest, a voice says, 'Something needs to be done, ASAP.' After some children run from the school and officers report finding an AR-15 rifle, one officer can be heard saying, 'We need to get in there, fast.' It would be another hour before law enforcement breached the classroom and killed Ramos. Gunman's mother told deputies she was scared of son months before attack Law enforcement records showed sheriff's deputies were called to a physical disturbance at the home of Ramos' mother, Adriana Reyes, a few months before the attack. She told deputies that he became angry and kicked a wireless modem after she turned off the internet. She had to hold him down to calm him, according to an incident report. She told deputies Ramos never hit her, but they made a note in their report: 'Ms Reyes stated she was scared of Salvador and wanted help.' Ramos' grandmother took him to her house and deputies took no further action. Ramos would end up shooting his grandmother before attacking the school. She survived. School records, meanwhile, showed a pattern of spiraling trouble that emerged at a young age. Ramos was described as a 'motivated thinker and learner' in kindergarten, but by middle school he was getting suspended or disciplined for harassment and bullying. He also failed to meet minimum statewide testing standards. In October 2021 — seven months before the shooting — Ramos withdrew from high school because of 'poor academic performance, lack of attendance.' Records showed he failed nearly all his classes. Video shows officers unsure of shooter's location Some officers were initially unsure about just where Ramos was, how they might get to him and whether children might be trapped or hiding. Some tried finding a way in but also knew Ramos was heavily armed. Crouched behind the school building sizing up an assault on the classroom from the outside, an officer says, 'I just don't want to be crawling and he's just looking down on me.' Former school police chief Pete Arredondo, who has been described as the incident commander, can be heard shouting to Ramos, asking him put down his weapon. 'These are innocent children. We don't want anyone else hurt. Please talk to me,' but there is no response. Once police realized there were children hiding in other classrooms, Arredondo is heard telling officers crouched around him they want to clear those rooms before breaching the classroom where Ramos is holed up. 'We don't know if there are kids in there,' Arredondo says. 'We're gonna save the lives of the other ones.' What comes next The law enforcement response included local, state and federal officers, but Arredondo and former school district police officer Adrian Gonzales are the only two to face criminal charges. Both face multiple counts of child endangerment and abandonment and have pleaded not guilty. Arredondo has said he has been wrongly scapegoated as the one to blame for mistakes that day. The indictment against Arredondo contends that he didn't follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was 'hunting' victims. Trial is set for October. Gonzales on Monday requested that his trial be moved out of Uvalde County, arguing he cannot receive a fair trial in the community. ___ Associated Press reporters John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri; Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia; and Ed White in Detroit contributed.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Judge to hear arguments on halting ‘Alligator Alcatraz' construction over environmental concerns
MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge is set to hear closing arguments Wednesday over whether to stop construction indefinitely at an immigrant detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' as she considers whether it violates environmental laws. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered a two-week halt on new construction last Thursday as witnesses continued to testify in a hearing to determine whether construction should end until the ultimate resolution of the case. The temporary order doesn't include any restrictions on law enforcement or immigration enforcement activity at the center, which is currently holding hundreds of detainees. The center, which was quickly built two months ago at a lightly used, single-runway training airport, is designed to eventually hold up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures. The order temporarily barred the installation of any new industrial-style lighting, as well as any paving, filling, excavating, fencing or erecting additional buildings, tents, dormitories or other residential or administrative facilities. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe want Williams to issue a preliminary injunction to halt operations and further construction, which they say threatens environmentally sensitive wetlands that are home to protected plants and animals and would reverse billions of dollars' worth of environmental restoration. Plaintiffs presented witnesses Wednesday and Thursday who testified that the facility violates the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of major construction projects. Attorneys for the state and federal government have said that although the detention center would be holding federal detainees, the construction and operation of the facility is entirely under the state of Florida, meaning the federal environmental review wouldn't apply. The judge last week said the detention facility was, at a minimum, a joint partnership between the state and federal government. Witnesses describe environmental threats Witnesses for the environmental groups have testified that at least 20 acres (8 hectares) of asphalt have been added to the site since the Florida Division of Emergency Management began construction. They said additional paving could lead to an increase in water runoff to the adjacent wetlands, spread harmful chemicals into the Everglades and reduce the habitat for endangered Florida panthers. Amy Castaneda, the Miccosukee Tribe's water resource director, testified Tuesday that nutrient runoff from the detention center could flow into tribal lands, changing vegetation growth. That could lead to fish kills and block humans and wildlife from moving throughout certain areas, she said. Marcel Bozas, director of the Miccosukee Tribe's fish and wildlife department, said tribe members hunt and fish for subsistence and cultural reasons. Sustained human activity can drive away game animals, like whitetail deer, as well as protected species, like Florida panthers, wood storks, eastern black rails and bonneted bats, he said. State official says Florida runs center Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles executive director David Kerner testified that the 1,800 state troopers under his command are authorized to detain undocumented migrants under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He said the federal government doesn't tell the state where to detain immigrants, and that the Everglades facility was built to alleviate overcrowding at federal immigration detention facilities, as well as state and county facilities with agreements to hold federal immigration detainees. Kerner couldn't say how many of the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detainees have been charged with violent crimes or whether any other sites besides the middle of the Everglades were considered for possible detention centers. Attorneys for federal and state agencies last month asked Williams to dismiss or transfer the injunction request, saying the lawsuit was filed in the wrong jurisdiction. Even though the property is owned by Miami-Dade County, Florida's southern district is the wrong venue for the lawsuit because the detention center is in neighboring Collier County, which is in the state's middle district, they said. Williams had yet to rule on that argument. Facility faces a second legal challenge In a second legal challenge to 'Alligator Alcatraz,' a federal judge over the weekend gave the state more time to prepare arguments against an effort to get the civil rights litigation certified as a class action. U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz in Miami said he will only consider a motion by detainees' lawyers for a preliminary injunction during an Aug. 18 hearing. He set a Sept. 23 deadline for the state to respond to the detainee's class action request. The second lawsuit claims detainees' constitutional rights are being violated because they are barred from meeting lawyers, are being held without any charges, and a federal immigration court has canceled bond hearings. The lawsuits were being heard as DeSantis′ administration apparently was preparing to build a second immigration detention center at a Florida National Guard training center in north Florida. At least one contract has been awarded for what is labeled in state records as the 'North Detention Facility.'
Toronto Sun
4 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Texas shooter who killed 3 outside Target randomly chose victims, police say
Published Aug 12, 2025 • 4 minute read Austin Police hold a news conference at APD Headquarters regarding Monday's deadly shooting a Target, on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman via AP AUSTIN, Texas — A random shooting outside a Target store in Texas began when a gunman killed an employee collecting shopping carts then a man and his 4-year-old granddaughter, sparking a chaotic hour of stolen cars and crashes that ended with him arrested naked holding a Bible, police said Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ethan Nieneker, 32, is charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of murder over Monday's shooting in Austin. Court records show a series of past arrests for domestic violence and assault. 'What happened yesterday was an unprovoked and deliberate attack, a deliberate act of violence,' Police Chief Lisa Davis said at a news conference. 'Innocent lives were taken in broad daylight, in a place where people should feel safe to run their everyday errands and to live their everyday lives.' The police chief said that although Nieneker had a history of mental health issues, she was unaware of any specific diagnosis. Sgt. Nathan Sexton said the firearm Nieneker used in the attacks was acquired through family. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After shooting the Target employee, Nieneker shot the grandfather as he sat in the driver's seat of his sport utility vehicle, then fatally shot the little girl in the back seat before stealing the vehicle and driving away fast, police said. 'It was a completely random choosing of the victims,' Sexton said. Police said the Target employee, Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24, was taken to a hospital where he died. Adam Chow, 65, and his granddaughter were pronounced dead at the scene while Chow's wife sustained minor injuries. The name of the child was not released. Over the next hour, Nieneker tried to steal a water truck at a construction site, caused multiple vehicle crashes, wrecked Chow's vehicle and then stole a Volkswagen he'd crashed into, police said. He also tried to break into a Waymo self-driving vehicle, threw a brick through the home of an acquaintance and walked naked through a backyard. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Officers found Nieneker walking naked on a street after he ditched his clothes in a portable toilet, police said. He was holding a Bible and was subdued with a Taser when he would not comply with demands. 'He said that he was Jesus,' Sexton said. Police received multiple 911 calls as the suspect made his way across the city. Chris Ferran said he was driving on a highway when he saw an SUV fly past him, then smash into two vehicles and keep going. 'I'm not letting anybody get away with this, so I chased him down and called 911,' he said. Ferran watched as the driver pulled into a construction site, got out of the SUV and ripped a worker out of a water truck. Ferran said the SUV's driver, who was clad in what looked like swim trunks and a Hawaiian shirt, was in the truck for a while. So Ferran started shooting a video. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But when the man got out of the water truck, Ferran realized he had a gun. 'As soon as I saw that, I threw the phone down and I reversed and I was trying to get us out of there,' said Ferran, who had his two daughters with him. Jail records did not list an attorney for Nieneker on Tuesday. Online court records show Nieneker was arrested several times in recent years in both Travis County, which includes Austin, and neighbouring Williamson County. His Travis County arrests include misdemeanours for criminal mischief and driving while intoxicated, and three arrests on felony domestic violence charges. He was convicted of a charge of assault causing bodily injury family violence in 2016 and briefly sentenced to jail. Another charge within days of the 2016 episode was dismissed. It was not immediately clear if those two charges were related. Another charge of felony assault on a family or household member in 2019 was dismissed three years later when prosecutors could not locate the victim. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Williamson County records show repeated run-ins with law enforcement, including two cases of misdemeanour family violence in 2015 that were later dismissed. He was also convicted of possession of marijuana in 2012 and entered a no contest plea to a charge of criminal mischief in 2016. Monday's shooting came as back-to-school shopping was in full swing ahead of the upcoming academic year. It also comes about two weeks after an attack at a Walmart in Michigan in which a man stabbed 11 people. The suspect has been charged with terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder. — Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas. Heather Hollingsworth contributed to this story from Kansas City, Mo. Read More Opinion Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Columnists Toronto & GTA
