Texas shooting spree: Young mother and handyman named among six victims in Austin
Shane James, 34, arrested on capital murder charges on Tuesday
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A complex investigation has been launched after six people were found dead across two major cities in Texas.
Suspect Shane James, 34, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with capital murder charges in connection with the deaths of four people in Austin. James is also accused of killing his parents Phyllis James, 55, and Shane Matthew James Sr, 56 at their home in San Antonio.
Police identified two of the victims killed in Austin as 24-year-old Sabrina Rahman and Emmanuel Pop Ba, 32.
A friend of Pop Ba told The Austin-American Stateman that he was sitting inside a car when the gunman opened fire on him. Pop Ba was helping that friend move to their new home.
Rahman’s uncle Marshall Hussain also told the outlet that his niece was struck by gunfire as she was walking her baby in a stroller.
“She did her last act to push the child away,” Mr Hussain said.
James, who has a history of mental health issues and was discharged from the Army due to a domestic violence incident, was taken into custody after crashing his car while fleeing police following a shootout with an officer who suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Six dead and three injured in Texas murder spree
A daylong series of attacks in Austin has left four people dead and at least three injured, and a man believed to be connected to them and the deaths of two people near San Antonio was taken into custody, Texas authorities said.
The dead were found in several homes. The injured included two police officers and a bicyclist, police said.
The man, who is in his 30s, was charged with capital murder, Robin Henderson, Austin interim police chief, said at a news conference Tuesday night. His name has not been released.
“We strongly believe one suspect is responsible for all of the incidents," Henderson said of the Austin attacks. She said that police “did not determine that these incidents were connected until the last incident occurred” Tuesday night.
Read more:
Suspect in custody after 6 dead and 3 injured in series of attacks in Texas, authorities say
Texas authorities say a daylong series of attacks in Austin has left four people dead and at least three injured, and a man believed to be connected to them and the deaths of two people near San Antonio was taken into custody
Timeline of the alleged murders
Police offered a brief timeline of the alleged Tuesday murders at a press conference on Wednesday morning.
10.45am - Austin independent school district police officer shot and injured
~12pm - Man and woman were found dead in home
~5pm - Male cyclist shot and injured
~7pm - Two people found dead at home after burglary call. One officer responding to the call is subsequently injured in shootout with suspect
7.15pm - Suspect crashes car and is arrested
~7.45pm - San Antonio police approach home linked to suspect and find two people deceased inside
What was the connection between the suspect and the victims?
The man, who is in his 30s, was charged with capital murder, Robin Henderson, Austin interim police chief, said at a news conference Tuesday night. His name has not been released.
Police said the man, who was not hit, drove away and police pursued him.
He crashed at about 7.15pm at a highway intersection and was taken into custody. The man had a gun, Henderson said.
The relationship between the man and the victims, if any, wasn’t immediately known, Henderson said.
How did the first two victims die?
Robin Henderson, Austin interim police chief, declined to elaborate on how the fatal victims in the killing spree were murdered.
Authroities arrived at the location of the first criem scene in San Antonio after a bystander placed a 911 call.
“I believe they saw water coming out of the residence, appearing as if something was leaking inside,” Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said, accoridng to Spectrum News. “Two people were found dead in the house, but Salazar didn’t say how they died.
Suspect arrested in Austin after six people killed in multi-city Texas ‘shooting spree’
A suspect has been arrested after a series of shootings across Texas that have killed six and left three other injured.
The suspect, who is reportedly in his 30s, is facing capital murder charges, police said.
The Independent’s Kelly Rissman reports:
Suspect arrested in Austin after six killed in multi-city Texas ‘shooting spree’
The suspect was arrested in Austin after crashing a car
One suspect responsible for all attacks, police say
The dead were found in several homes.
The injured included two police officers and a bicyclist, police said.
Robin Henderson, Austin interim police chief, said his name would not be immeidately released at a news conference Tuesday night.
“We strongly believe one suspect is responsible for all of the incidents,” Henderson said of the Austin attacks.
She said that police “did not determine that these incidents were connected until the last incident occurred” Tuesday night.
Officer wounded in Austin shooting is in stable condition
The Austin Police Department Officer who was shot when the suspect in a killing spree that left six dead opened fired at a high school is expected to recover.
A cyclist who was also wounded in the eight-hour attack is also in stable condition, police said.
Footage of the confrontation between the suspect and APD officers is expected to be released within the next 10 days, KVUE reports.
How did the attacks unfold?
ADP Interim CHief Henderson provided a timeline, saying an Austin independent school district police officer was shot and injured about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.
Then about noon, a man and a woman were found dead in a home. Another shooting happened shortly before 5 p.m., when a male cyclist suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police responding around 7 p.m. to a call of a burglary in progress at another home later found two people dead there.
Henderson didn’t say how the four people died.
During the last call, an Austin police officer saw a man in the back yard. The man shot at the officer and the officer returned fire, Henderson said. The officer suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital. The officer was listed in stable condition.
Police said the man, who was not hit, drove away and police pursued him. He crashed at about 7:15 p.m. at a highway intersection and was taken into custody. The man had a gun, Henderson said.
Law enforcement did not know shootings in San Antonio in Austin were connected before arrest
“I want to emphasize that APD and other law enforcement did not determine that these incidents were connected until the last incident occurred tonight after the male suspect was taken into custody,” ADP Interim CHief Henderson said during a press conference early on Wednesday.
IN PICTURES: Killing spree left six people dead in San Antonio and Austin
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