Random South Austin Shootings Over Weekend

Austin police said three teenage suspects are in custody after a weekend string of shootings, robberies and vehicle thefts across South and East Austin that left four people injured. The incidents unfolded between Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, according to an Austin Police Department release issued Monday. Police said the shootings included attacks on apartment complexes, homes, businesses and two Austin Fire Department stations. Investigators said some of the shootings appeared random, while others may have involved victims known to the suspects. May 18 marked a shift in the case from a public search to a charging review. Austin police identified one suspect as Cristian Fajardo Mondragon, 17, and said two other suspects, ages 16 and 15, were also arrested. Formal charges are still under review, police said, and may include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest and theft of a firearm. ### How many shootings are police tying to the weekend spree? Austin police and local media reports said investigators are examining at least 12 separate shootings tied to the case. APD said the violence stretched across Austin from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning, and Fox 7 reported the incidents were part of a wider sequence that also included robberies and stolen vehicles. (austintexas.gov) The first confirmed shooting happened at 3:58 p.m. Saturday at 10 Yucca Drive, where officers found shell casings and bullet damage at a trailer residence, according to APD. At 4:30 p.m., police responded to another shooting at the Whisper Hollow apartment complex at 3300 Parker Lane, where multiple vehicles and an occupied apartment were hit. APD said no injuries were reported in those two incidents. (austintexas.gov) ### Where did the shootings happen, and who was hit? The shootings struck locations in South and East Austin, including apartment complexes, residences and two fire stations, according to police and local television reports. KXAN reported that police believe the suspects fired into buildings, apartment complexes and two Austin Fire Department stations, and Fox 7 said one fire truck was hit while firefighters were nearby. (austintexas.gov) Four people were injured during the weekend violence, Fox 7 reported, citing Austin-Travis County EMS and police. One victim suffered critical injuries and was taken to a trauma center after receiving whole blood at the scene, then was later listed in stable condition. Three other victims had non-life-threatening injuries, according to the report. ### Why did police first describe the shootings as random? (kxan.com) Austin police said in a May 17 public alert that there was “no specific motive or location” and that the shootings appeared random. The department asked residents not to approach the suspects and to call 911 with sightings of the suspects or their vehicle, which police initially described as a black or dark blue 2012 Hyundai Sonata with a broken right passenger window. APD also offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. (fox7austin.com) May 18 brought a more detailed assessment from investigators. APD said evidence now suggests the incidents were “a mix of random and targeted shootings,” with some victims known to the suspects and others apparently having no connection to them. Police said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public related to the incidents. (austintexas.gov) ### How were the suspects found? Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old were taken into custody Sunday, according to KXAN and Fox 7. Later that night, the Manor Police Department said officers arrested a third suspect near FM 973 and U.S. Highway 290 after 911 callers reported a suspicious person at a gas station about a mile from where the suspects’ vehicle had crashed. (austintexas.gov) Manor police said license plate readers helped locate the suspect vehicle, and KXAN reported that nearly 200 officers from local and state agencies joined the search, including SWAT, air and canine units. Austin and Travis County authorities issued shelter-in-place warnings during the manhunt, including one in South Austin bounded by South Slaughter Lane, East McKinney Falls Parkway, North Ben White Boulevard and West Escarpment Boulevard. Those warnings were later lifted. (kxan.com) ### What happens next in the investigation? Austin police said additional charges may be filed as investigators continue reviewing ballistic evidence, surveillance footage, witness statements and recovered evidence. Because two of the suspects are juveniles, APD said Texas law limits what information can be released publicly about their identities, booking information and detention status. (kxan.com) The next public updates are likely to come from APD’s Aggravated Assault Unit, which asked anyone with information to call 512-974-5177, or from Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. APD’s May 17 alert said anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers as investigators continue building the case. (austintexas.gov) (austintexas.gov)