A gunman opened fire in the parking lot of a Target store in Austin, Texas, on Monday, killing three people, police said.
Lisa Davis, Austin Police Chief said the suspect was an individual in 30’s and suffered from mental health issues. Davis added that he stole a car after the shooting and fled the scene before crashing the vehicle. Reportedly, he took one more car for fleeing but the law enforcement authorities arrested him.
Police Say the Suspect in Austin Shooting Had Mental Health Issues
When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found three victims. Two were pronounced dead on the spot, while the third died later in hospital. The victims’ names have not yet been released.
“This is a very sad day for Austin. My condolences go out to the families,” Davis said.
The attack happened shortly before schools reopen in the U.S., a busy shopping period. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called it a “devastating situation” in a post on X. “This was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence,” he said.
Rise in Gun Violence in the U.S.
The Target shooting took place just over two weeks after another store attack in Michigan. On July 26, a man stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Traverse City. He now faces charges of terrorism and multiple counts of attempted murder.
Around the same time, in late July, a 27-year-old man fatally shot five people in Midtown Manhattan, marking the city’s deadliest shooting in over 20 years.
Gun violence continues to be a major problem in the United States. The Gun Violence Archive reports that, so far in 2025, there have been 9,143 gun-related deaths and 269 mass shootings.
Authorities in Austin say the investigation into the Target shooting is ongoing, with police looking into the suspect’s background, mental health history, and possible motive.
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