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Boston Globe
7 days ago
- Boston Globe
Before killing 3 in a Target parking lot, suspect had many run-ins with Texas police
Police scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Monday that the suspect had 'a mental health history' but did not elaborate. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Online court records show that Nieneker had been arrested several times in recent years in both Travis County, which includes Austin, and neighboring Williamson County. Advertisement His arrests in Travis County included misdemeanors 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, according to court records. 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. Advertisement Williamson County records show repeated run-ins with law enforcement, including two cases of misdemeanor 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. Police monitor the scene near a Target after a shooting in Austin, Texas, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Stephen Spillman/Associated Press Monday's shooting came as back-to-school shopping was in full swing ahead of the upcoming academic year. An adult and child were pronounced dead at the scene, while another adult died after being taken to the hospital, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. The child's age was not released. Police said that after the shooting, Nieneker stole a car from the store parking lot, wrecked that car and then stole another from a dealership before being captured about 20 miles away, in south Austin, where he was taken into custody. Police said offices used a Taser to detain him. Davis said they believe one of the people who was shot was the owner of the car stolen from the store's parking lot. The Target shooting comes just over two weeks after an attack at a Walmart store in Michigan. A man accused of stabbing 11 people at the Traverse City store on July 26 has been charged with terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder. ___ Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Before killing 3 in a Target parking lot, suspect had many run-ins with Texas police
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The accused 32-year-old Texas man who opened fire in a Target parking lot, killing two adults and a child, had a history of arrests for domestic violence and assault and was being held Tuesday on capital murder charges. Authorities have not offered a possible motive for Monday's shooting, which sent store employees and shoppers fleeing for cover. Austin police identified the suspect as Ethan Nieneker, who investigators say fired on shoppers and then stole two cars during a getaway that ended with his arrest on the other side of the city. He was being held in Travis County jail on two counts of capital murder and one count of murder. Jail records do not list an attorney for him. Police scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Monday that the suspect had 'a mental health history' but did not elaborate. Online court records show that Nieneker had been arrested several times in recent years in both Travis County, which includes Austin, and neighboring Williamson County. His arrests in Travis County included misdemeanors 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, according to court records. 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. Williamson County records show repeated run-ins with law enforcement, including two cases of misdemeanor 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. An adult and child were pronounced dead at the scene, while another adult died after being taken to the hospital, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. The child's age was not released. Police said that after the shooting, Nieneker stole a car from the store parking lot, wrecked that car and then stole another from a dealership before being captured about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away, in south Austin, where he was taken into custody. Police said offices used a Taser to detain him. Davis said they believe one of the people who was shot was the owner of the car stolen from the store's parking lot. The Target shooting comes just over two weeks after an attack at a Walmart store in Michigan. A man accused of stabbing 11 people at the Traverse City store on July 26 has been charged with terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder. ___ Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas.
CNN
12-08-2025
- CNN
A child and 2 adults were killed in a shooting that sent Target shoppers scrambling for safety
Three people, including a child, are dead after a gunman opened fire in a Target parking lot in Austin, Texas, before stealing two cars and being captured by police, authorities said. The suspect is a White man in his 30s, with 'a mental health history' and prior criminal offenses, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said in a news conference. Authorities have not released his name. A motive has not been determined and it's not clear what led to Monday's gunfire. The shooting is one in a spate of deadly gun violence in the US. It follows killings in recent weeks at places normally considered safe – a Montana bar, the offices of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and an office building in New York City. In Austin, police were called at 2:15 p.m. and arrived at the Target parking lot where they found three people shot, Davis said. The gunfire erupted during a busy time of year for retailers, with back-to-school shopping underway. Two people died on scene and a third person was declared dead at the hospital, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Chief Robert Luckritz said. A fourth person was treated for non-gunshot related injuries, he added. One of the victims who died at the scene was a child, while the other two victims were adults, said Captain Shannon Koesterer, said a public information officer for the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. The suspect fled the Target parking lot by stealing a car at the scene, then crashed it and stole a second car from a Volkswagen dealership, Davis said. The man was captured about 20 miles away in south Austin after someone called police, Davis said. He was taken into custody after being tased. '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. She did not reveal the identities of the victims. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called the shooting 'a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence.' 'This is a devastating situation, and my heart is with the victims and their families,' he said in a post on X. Target said in a statement it is 'devastated by the violence' at the Austin store and working with law enforcement on the investigation. Lonnie Lee, 22, had visited the Target with her sister and was shocked to see the parking lot was cordoned off and filled with police, she told the Associated Press. 'We got really, really lucky,' Lee said. 'And some people didn't.' At a Jiffy Lube shop that shares its parking lot with the Target, employees locked the doors as soon as they became aware of the shooting. Paul Smith, an employee at the oil-change store, saw people running from their cars in the parking lot in a panic, he told the AP. 'I had just gotten back from the Target like a minute before,' Smith said. Monday's shooting comes just over two weeks after an attack in a Walmart parking lot in Traverse City, Michigan, in which 42-year-old Bradford James Gille allegedly stabbed 11 people in what authorities described as 'random acts.' All victims - ages 29 to 84 - were expected to survive and Gille was charged with one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. This story has been updated with additional details.
Arab Times
12-08-2025
- Arab Times
Shooter kills 3 in Target parking lot in Austin, Texas, before being captured: police
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug 12, (AP): A gunman opened fire Monday in the parking lot of a Target store in Texas' capital, killing two adults and a child before stealing two cars during a getaway that ended with police using a Taser to detain him on the other side of the city, authorities said. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspect is a man in his 30s with "a mental health history.' Police said they were still working to determine a motive. The suspect fled the scene in a stolen car, wrecked that car and then stole another from a dealership, Davis said. He was captured about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away, in south Austin, where he was taken into custody, she said during a news conference. Davis said officers responding to a call at about 2:15 p.m. found three people shot in the Target parking lot. Davis said they believe one of the people who was shot was the owner of the car stolen from the store's parking lot. An adult and child were pronounced dead at the scene, while another adult died after being taken to the hospital, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. EMS officials said a fourth person was treated for a minor medical complaint not related to traumatic injuries. "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. She said she had no information to release about the victims. Lonnie Lee, 22, said she had visited the Target with her sister just a couple of hours earlier before they left to get lunch with their grandparents. When they returned to the area to continue shopping, she said they were shocked to see the parking lot was cordoned off and filled with police. "We got really, really lucky,' Lee said. "And some people didn't.' The shooting came amid back-to-school shopping ahead of the upcoming academic year. Target said in a statement that they were "devastated' by what happened, and that they would be providing grief counseling to their team.
Korea Herald
12-08-2025
- Korea Herald
Shooter kills 3 in Target parking lot in Austin, Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A gunman opened fire Monday in the parking lot of a Target store in Texas' capital, killing two adults and a child before stealing two cars during a getaway that ended with police using a Taser to detain him on the other side of the city, authorities said. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspect is a man in his 30s with 'a mental health history.' Police said they were still working to determine a motive. The suspect fled the scene in a stolen car, wrecked that car and then stole another from a dealership, Davis said. He was captured about 32 kilometers away, in south Austin, where he was taken into custody, she said during a news conference. Davis said officers responding to a call at about 2:15 p.m. found three people shot in the Target parking lot. Davis said they believe one of the people who was shot was the owner of the car stolen from the store's parking lot. An adult and child were pronounced dead at the scene, while another adult died after being taken to the hospital, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. EMS officials said a fourth person was treated for a minor medical complaint not related to traumatic injuries. '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. She said she had no information to release about the victims. Lonnie Lee, 22, said she had visited the Target with her sister just a couple of hours earlier before they left to get lunch with their grandparents. When they returned to the area to continue shopping, she said they were shocked to see the parking lot was cordoned off and filled with police. 'We got really, really lucky,' Lee said. 'And some people didn't.' The shooting came amid back-to-school shopping ahead of the upcoming academic year. Target said in a statement that they were 'devastated' by what happened, and that they would be providing grief counseling to their team. 'Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, our team in Austin and all those impacted by this tragedy,' the statement said. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a message on X that his 'heart is with the victims and their families" and that 'while this remains an active and ongoing investigation, what I'll say is that this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence." At a Jiffy Lube that shares its parking lot with the Target, employees hunkered down and locked the store doors as soon as they became aware a shooting was taking place. Paul Smith, an employee at the auto store, said he saw people running from their cars in the parking lot in a panic. 'I had just gotten back from the Target like a minute before,' Smith said. The Target shooting comes just over two weeks after an attack at a Walmart store in Michigan. A man accused of stabbing 11 people at the Traverse City store on July 26 has been charged with terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder.
