White Nissan Sentra Shooting Link

Austin police said on May 18 that investigators had arrested three suspects in connection with a series of shootings, stolen vehicles and other violent crimes that unfolded across Austin between May 16 and May 17. The department said the incidents included both random and targeted shootings, with some victims known to the suspects and others appearing to have no connection. Police identified one suspect as 17-year-old Cristian Fajardo Mondragon and said two younger suspects, ages 16 and 15, were also in custody. Investigators said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public tied to those weekend incidents. ### How does the white Nissan Sentra fit into the Austin shootings? Austin police said in a May 12 release that detectives were looking for a suspect vehicle described as a white 2019 Nissan Sentra in an aggravated assault investigation tied to a shooting on the 5300 block of King Henry Drive. Officers responded there on April 2 at 10:48 p.m. and found multiple victims and several homes struck by gunfire, though no injuries were reported. (austintexas.gov) Witnesses told police that a white sedan drove by a group gathered outside a residence, returned to the area and then gunfire erupted. Detectives said they believed as many as five people were inside that car and that at least two suspects either got out or leaned from the vehicle to shoot. The suspects in that case were described as Black males wearing ski masks. Police also said on May 12 that they believed the King Henry Drive shooting might be connected to a homicide about two hours later in the 10900 block of Brazoria Lane. (austintexas.gov) ### Did police say the Nissan was tied to the May 16-17 shooting spree? Austin police did not say in their May 18 update that the white Nissan Sentra was the vehicle used in the May 16-17 shootings. In that release, investigators said surveillance footage from an earlier theft on May 16 identified a dark-colored Hyundai Sonata, which police later determined had itself been stolen from the Social Apartments on East Oltorf Drive. (austintexas.gov) The department’s public timeline for the weekend shootings repeatedly referred to a dark sedan or the stolen Hyundai, not the white Nissan Sentra from the April case. The distinction matters because the May 12 appeal and the May 17 public warning involved different vehicle descriptions. In a May 17 release, police asked for help identifying suspects in various shootings that had occurred that day and described the suspect vehicle as a black or dark blue 2012 Hyundai Sonata with a broken right passenger window. Police said at that stage the shootings appeared random and urged residents not to approach the suspects or vehicle. (austintexas.gov) ### What happened during the May 16-17 shootings? Austin police said the weekend sequence began on May 16 with a reported firearm theft from a business at 321 W. Ben White Boulevard, followed by shootings at multiple locations including Yucca Drive, Parker Lane, Montopolis Drive and Cypress Bend. The department said shell casings, surveillance footage and witness accounts linked the cases as the day progressed. (austintexas.gov) KUT, citing APD’s timeline, reported that later incidents included shots fired near a business in East Austin, gunfire into a fire station near Colony Park and a shooting near LBJ High School that left one person with minor injuries from shattered glass. KXAN reported that four people were injured across at least 10 shootings and that Austin officials issued a shelter-in-place warning on May 17 during the search for suspects. Manor police said a third suspect was arrested around 9:30 p.m. near FM 973 and U.S. Highway 290 after an extensive search that involved nearly 200 officers from local and state agencies. (austintexas.gov) ### Who is in custody, and what charges are expected? Austin police said the 17-year-old suspect, Cristian Fajardo Mondragon, could be publicly identified because he had reached the age of criminal responsibility under Texas law. The department said charges under review 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 and theft of a firearm. (kxan.com) Police said additional charges could follow as investigators review ballistic evidence, surveillance footage, witness statements and recovered evidence. The two younger suspects were identified only as Hispanic males ages 16 and 15. Austin police said Texas law limited what the department could release about their identities, booking information and detention status. ### Where can people send information now? (austintexas.gov) Austin police said anyone with information about the April 2 King Henry Drive shooting can contact the Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5245 or submit anonymous tips through Capital Area Crime Stoppers. In the May 17 shootings case, police directed the public to the Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5177 or to Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. The department said a reward of up to $1,000 was available for information leading to an arrest. (austintexas.gov) Austin police said on May 18 that investigators were still reviewing evidence from the weekend shootings. The department’s next public steps are likely to come through updated charging records and additional case releases as that review continues. (austintexas.gov) (austintexas.gov)