South Austin Random Shootings Probed

Austin police said on May 18 that three suspects were arrested after a weekend string of shootings, stolen vehicles and related violent crimes across South and East Austin. The department said the incidents unfolded between Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, and that detectives are investigating at least 12 separate shootings. Four people were injured, according to police, including one victim who was taken to a trauma center in critical condition. Investigators said some of the shootings appeared random, while others involved victims known to the suspects. ### How did police describe the shootings when they first asked for help? Austin police said on May 17 that they were seeking the public’s help to identify suspects connected to various shootings that had occurred the previous day. In that initial public alert, the department said there was “no specific motive or location” and that the shootings “appear to be random.” The May 17 notice described the suspects as white or Hispanic males in their late teens and said they were believed to be using a 2012 Hyundai Sonata that was black or dark blue, with a broken right passenger window. (austintexas.gov) Police told residents not to approach the suspects or vehicle and asked anyone with information to call 9-1-1, the Aggravated Assault Unit or Crime Stoppers. ### Who is in custody, and what charges are being considered? (austintexas.gov) Austin police said three suspects were taken into custody with help from local, state and regional law enforcement partners. The department publicly identified one of them as Cristian Fajardo Mondragon, 17, and said Texas law limits what it can release about the other two suspects because they are 15 and 16 years old. (austintexas.gov) APD said formal charges for Mondragon were still under review as of May 18 and were expected to include multiple counts tied to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, deadly conduct, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest, theft of a firearm and other related offenses. Police said additional charges could be filed as investigators continue reviewing evidence. (austintexas.gov) ### What do police say happened over the weekend? Austin police said the sequence began at 11:30 a.m. on May 16 with a report of a stolen firearm from a business at 321 W. Ben White Boulevard. Investigators later said the suspect vehicle in that theft was a dark-colored Hyundai Sonata that had itself been stolen from the Social Apartments at 1817 E. Oltorf Drive. (austintexas.gov) The first confirmed shooting was reported at 3:58 p.m. on the 10 block of Yucca Drive, where officers found shell casings and bullet damage to a trailer residence but no injuries, police said. At 4:30 p.m., officers responded to another shooting in the 3300 block of Parker Lane at the Whisper Hollow apartment complex, where multiple vehicles and an occupied apartment were hit by gunfire, including rooms occupied by adults and young children, according to APD. (austintexas.gov) Police said a third shooting happened at 6:08 p.m. in the 1600 block of Montopolis Drive, and the department later said the broader investigation covered at least 12 shootings over the two-day period. APD said the gunfire struck apartment buildings, homes, businesses and two Austin Fire Department stations, and that three Austin Fire Department trucks also were hit. (austintexas.gov) ### Were all of the attacks random? APD said on May 18 that investigators now believe the incidents were “a mix of random and targeted shootings.” The department said some victims were known to the suspects, while other incidents appeared to have occurred without any known connection. Austin police also said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public related to these incidents. (austintexas.gov) That marked a shift from the earlier May 17 warning, when the department said the motive was unclear and urged the community to remain vigilant while suspects were still being sought. ### How many people were hurt, and what damage did police report? APD said four people were injured during the shootings. (austintexas.gov) Three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while one victim was critically injured and taken to a trauma center, according to police. Police said the shootings also damaged at least five cars and four homes. APD said two Austin Fire Department stations and three fire trucks were struck as well, alongside other properties caught in the weekend violence. (austintexas.gov) ### What happens next in the investigation? Austin police said the case remains active as detectives review ballistic evidence, surveillance footage, witness statements and recovered evidence. (fox7austin.com) The department said formal charges were still under review as of May 18, and additional charges could follow as investigators sort through the full timeline of shootings, vehicle thefts and related crimes. APD’s May 17 public notice said anyone with information can contact the Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5177 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers, where a reward of up to $1,000 was being offered for information leading to an arrest. (austintexas.gov) (austintexas.gov)