Police identify suspect in Austin Target shooting that left 3 people dead
The man suspected of killing three people, including a child, in a Monday shooting outside a Target in Austin was identified as Ethan Nieneker, police said.
Austin Police shared Nieneker’s mugshot in a Tuesday post on X, where the 32-year-old is seen with bruises and blood on his face.
The Texas shooting unfolded around 2:15 p.m. on Monday in the store’s parking lot. Officers found three people who had been shot. Their identities have not been revealed.
Nieneker was arrested in South Austin after allegedly stealing a car and fleeing the scene. He faces charges of capital murder and first-degree murder.
Authorities allege he stole a vehicle from the parking lot of Target, crashed that car, and then stole another one. Police Chief Lisa Davis said Monday that Nieneker has a history of mental health issues, but did not reveal further details.
A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
“This is a very sad day for Austin,” Davis said at a news conference.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said it was a “devastating situation” and his “heart is with the victims and their families.”
“While this remains an active and ongoing investigation, what I’ll say is that this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence,” he said in a post on X.
