A shooting incident at a bustling shopping center in northwest Austin resulted in the death of one person and left three others injured. Austin Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the witnesses who experienced the tragedy firsthand. Chief Henderson confirmed that the suspected shooter was also killed during the attack. The shooting took place at a business near The Arboretum, an outdoor shopping center, prompting a swift response from law enforcement and medical personnel.
Emergency services were alerted about the gunfire shortly after 5 p.m. local time. Tragically, two individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, as confirmed by Austin-Travis County EMS. Additionally, one adult with critical, life-threatening injuries was transported to a local trauma facility, while two others were evaluated for minor injuries.
Chief Henderson stated that there is currently no information regarding the motive behind the shooting. Furthermore, the relationship between the shooter and the victims remains unknown. She emphasized the limited details available at the time and refrained from disclosing whether the incident took place inside or outside a business within the shopping mall. Multiple agencies, including the FBI and ATF, responded to reports of an explosion at the scene, but no explosives were found during the investigation.
Daniel Kwak, a chef at Hanara Sushi and Grill in The Arboretum, revealed that he did not hear any gunshots. Security personnel instructed him to close the doors due to an ongoing shooting, which came as a shock to him. Jeffrey Laartz, a visitor from Germany, witnessed the commotion from his hotel. Laartz described seeing a significant police presence near the Cheesecake Factory and a helicopter circling above, leading him to conclude that a shooting had taken place.
In the wake of this tragic event, authorities will continue their investigation to determine the motive behind the shooting and the relationship between the shooter and the victims.