North Austin Target Shooting: Suspect with Criminal History Kills Three, Including a Child

Tragic Shooting at North Austin Target

• 🎯 Austin police have identified Ethan Nieneker, 32, as the suspect in a shooting that occurred outside a Target parking lot.
• 💔 Three people were killed in the attack, including a 4-year-old girl.
• ⚡ The victims were reportedly chosen at random, and the attack was unprovoked.

Sequence of Events

• 🛒 Nieneker allegedly first shot and killed a Target employee who was collecting shopping carts.
• 🚗 He then approached a Toyota 4Runner, fatally shooting the 66-year-old male driver and the young girl in the back seat.
• 🔑 Following the shootings, Nieneker allegedly carjacked the SUV and fled the scene.

Suspect's Background and Arrest

• ⚖️ Investigators state Nieneker has a criminal record and a history of mental health issues.
• 📖 He was later apprehended in a nearby neighborhood, found naked and holding a Bible.
• 🚨 Nieneker now faces multiple charges, including capital murder by terror threat, capital murder of a child under 10, and first-degree murder.

Witness Account

• 😨 A witness described seeing the first body on the ground as police swarmed the area, calling the scene chaos.
• 🧠 The witness also spoke about the significant mental strain of witnessing such violence.