Washington [US], August 12: A man opened fire in the parking lot of a Target supermarket in Austin, Texas, on the afternoon of August 11, killing at least three people.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said officers responding to a shooting call at about 2:15 p.m. on August 11 found three people shot in the parking lot of the Target store, according to AP.
Of the three people shot, two were pronounced dead at the scene and one died at a hospital, said Robert Luckritz, chief of emergency medical services for Austin-Travis. He said another person was treated at the scene for unrelated injuries.
Sheriff Davis identified the suspect in the shooting as a man in his 30s with a "history of mental illness," according to AP.
The suspect fled the scene in a stolen car, wrecked it, and stole another from a dealership, Davis said. However, the suspect was arrested about 20 miles away, south of Austin, Davis said.
At a Jiffy Lube store that shares a parking lot with the Target store, employees quickly took cover and locked the doors as soon as they realized the shooting was underway. Paul Smith, an employee at the auto store, said he saw people panicking as they ran out of their cars in the parking lot.
"This is an incredibly tragic situation, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families. While the investigation is still actively underway, I must say this was a despicable and disgusting act of gun violence," Austin Mayor Kirk Watson wrote on social media X.
The shooting comes as Austin prepares for the back-to-school shopping season. Target did not respond to an email from the AP requesting comment.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
