Random South Austin Shootings Over Weekend

Austin police said Sunday that a series of shootings across south and east Austin over the weekend appeared random, left four people injured and triggered a shelter-in-place order before three teenage suspects were taken into custody. Chief Lisa Davis said the attacks began Saturday, May 16, and stretched into Sunday, with suspects firing at homes, apartment complexes, stores and two Austin fire stations. One victim was in critical condition and three others had minor injuries, Davis said. Police said the investigation remained active Monday and asked the public to keep sending tips. ### How many shootings are police linking together? Austin police said the suspects were connected to up to 12 shootings and about 20 calls for service between Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The department said Sunday in a public notice that there was “no specific motive” and that the shootings “appear to be random.” Chief Lisa Davis said most of the incidents were reported in South Austin and East Austin. Davis said the gunfire struck a mix of targets, including apartment complexes, homes, stores and two Austin Fire Department stations. ### Who was hurt, and where were people hit? Four people were injured in the shootings, according to Austin police and Mayor Kirk Watson. (austintexas.gov) KVUE reported that one victim suffered serious injuries and remained in critical condition, while three others had minor injuries. Janes Ranch Road near East William Cannon Drive and McKinney Falls Parkway was one of the locations tied to the weekend violence. (kvue.com) KVUE reported that officers responding around 8:45 a.m. Sunday found a man with gunshot wounds there and took him to a hospital in serious but stable condition. ### What do police say about the suspects? Austin police said Sunday that the suspects were teenage males and initially asked for help identifying them. (abc13.com) In its public alert, the department 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. (kvue.com) Lisa Davis said two of the suspects were identified as a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male. Davis said the 17-year-old had an outstanding warrant for theft of a handgun from a store, and the 15-year-old was believed to have stolen a gun from the same location on Saturday. ### How were the arrests made in Manor? (austintexas.gov) Manor police said officers spotted the suspects’ vehicle after Austin police issued a bulletin and pursued it until it crashed in a field near FM 973. Manor Police Chief Ryan Phipps said two suspects were arrested there Sunday afternoon and a third fled, prompting a broader manhunt. KXAN and KVUE reported that the third suspect was arrested around 9:30 p.m. (kvue.com) Sunday at an H-E-B Fuel location at 13100 North FM 973 Road. The search involved Manor police, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the University of Texas at Austin Police Department, according to KXAN. (kxan.com) ### Why were shelter-in-place orders issued? South Austin residents were told Sunday to shelter in place while officers searched for suspects connected to the shootings. A separate shelter-in-place order was later issued in parts of Manor, including areas around Ralph Ritchie Road, Suncrest Road, FM 973, Presidential Meadows, Greenbury and Stonewater, before it was lifted Sunday evening. (kvue.com) Austin Fire Department officials said gunfire hit two fire stations and one truck during the weekend incidents, though no firefighters were injured and damage was minor. ### What happens next on Monday? Manor ISD said Monday that classes at Presidential Meadows Elementary School were canceled and bus routes for Stonewater and Greenbury were suspended. (kvue.com) The district said Manor High School and Manor Rise Academy would operate on a normal schedule with increased police presence in the area. Austin police said anyone with information should call the Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5177 or contact Capital Area 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) (kvue.com)