Ethan Nieneker, 32, faces capital murder charges after a deadly shooting rampage at a Target store in Austin, Texas, on Monday. The incident, which unfolded in the parking lot of the store, left three people dead, including a 4-year-old girl. Austin Police Department confirmed that Nieneker, who had allegedly been involved in a carjacking at the store, was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of first-degree felony murder.
According to police, officers responded to calls of multiple shootings at the Target parking lot near Research Boulevard around 2:15 p.m. When they arrived, they found Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, a Target employee, in the parking lot. Machuca was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Officers also found a family, including Adam Chow, his granddaughter, and his wife. Chow and his granddaughter were both pronounced dead at the scene, while the wife was hospitalized.
A preliminary investigation found that Nieneker had allegedly attacked Machuca while he was collecting shopping carts, leading to the initial shooting. Nieneker then allegedly fled the scene and began firing at vehicles, including a Jeep Cherokee and a Toyota 4Runner. Chow was in the driver’s seat of the Toyota when Nieneker allegedly shot him, and the 4-year-old granddaughter was struck in the backseat after the shooting.
After the shooting, Nieneker reportedly continued his rampage, attempting to steal a water truck before crashing into multiple vehicles, including a Volkswagen and an Infiniti SUV. He was then found naked in the backyard of a residence on La Casa Drive, after failing to comply with police commands, and was tased and arrested. The police also found matching clothing from the suspect inside a porta potty.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis expressed her condolences to the families of the deceased, stating,