A random act of gun violence outside a Target store in Austin, Texas, has left three people dead, including a 4-year-old girl, and a community in mourning. Police say the suspect, 32-year-old Ethan Nieneker, opened fire in the store’s parking lot on Monday afternoon, killing a store employee and a grandfather-granddaughter pair before being arrested miles away.
Authorities identified the victims as Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, a Target employee; Adam Chow; and Chow’s 4-year-old granddaughter. Chow’s wife sustained minor injuries in the attack.
According to Austin Police, the shooting began around 2:15 p.m. when Nieneker allegedly approached Martinez Machuca as he was collecting shopping carts and shot him without provocation. Nieneker then turned his gun on a black Jeep Cherokee, firing as it attempted to escape.
Police say he next approached Chow’s vehicle, shooting him before firing into the backseat, fatally striking the young girl. Chow and his granddaughter were pronounced dead at the scene, while Martinez Machuca died later in the hospital.
Investigators believe the victims were chosen at random. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Nieneker had “serious issues” and a history of criminal offenses, including assault causing bodily injury to a family member, driving while intoxicated, and marijuana possession.
The firearm used in the attack was reportedly “acquired through family.” Nieneker now faces multiple charges, including capital murder by terror threat, capital murder of a person under 10 years old, and first-degree felony murder. He is being held at the Travis County Jail.
Following the shooting, Nieneker fled the scene and was apprehended approximately 32 kilometers away in South Austin after a caller alerted police to his location. Officers used a Taser to take him into custody.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson condemned the attack, calling it “a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence” and expressing condolences to the victims’ families. Target also issued a statement saying it was “devastated by the violence” and is cooperating fully with investigators.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as shoppers and bystanders scrambled to safety. Employees at a nearby Jiffy Lube locked their doors when they realized a shooting was underway. Paul Smith, who works at the oil-change shop, said he had just returned from Target moments before the violence erupted.
“I had just gotten back from the Target like a minute before,” Smith told reporters. “People were running from their cars in a panic.”
This incident comes amid a string of deadly shootings across the United States in places typically seen as safe, including a Montana bar, an office building in New York City, and the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
While the investigation continues, police have not yet determined a motive for the attack. The tragedy occurred during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, with families preparing for the upcoming school season.
Authorities are urging anyone with further information about the shooting to come forward as they work to piece together the events that led to the senseless killing of three innocent people in broad daylight.
