Austin officials said at least 10 shootings over a weekend in Austin injured four people, and they reported that two teenagers were in custody while a potential third suspect was being sought. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspects drove through parts of the city in stolen vehicles and fired at targets that included fire stations as well as residences and apartment buildings. She said the attacks occurred across a period from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.
Davis said the two boys, ages 15 and 17, were apprehended after police pulled them over in a stolen car and the suspects attempted to run. She said a third person who had been in the car also ran and remained at large, adding that it was unknown whether that person was involved in the shootings. The chief said the firearm used in the shootings had earlier been stolen by the 15-year-old, and that the 17-year-old was wanted for a separate firearm theft.
Austin police also said the suspects stole at least four vehicles while traveling around the city, according to Davis. Officials said four victims were taken to hospitals, including one person with critical injuries. The city ordered residents of a large part of the southern area of Austin to shelter in place while investigators searched for the remaining suspect.
Mayor Kirk Watson told reporters that investigators had not identified a specific motive for the shootings and said, “We don’t have any specific motive that has been identified. In fact, these actions appear to be random.” With two suspects in custody, city officials later lifted the shelter-in-place order as police continued the search for the person who remained at large.