The Austin Police Department has identified the suspect in Monday’s deadly shooting at a North Austin Target store as 33-year-old Ethan Nieneke, a man with a history of criminal activity and documented mental illness. The attack left three people dead and prompted a citywide response from multiple law enforcement agencies.
Ethan Nieneke ARRESTED
According to police, the first 911 calls came in at 2:15 p.m., reporting shots fired at the Target located at 8601 Research Boulevard. Officers arrived within four minutes to find three victims shot in the parking lot. Austin-Travis County EMS confirmed that two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third succumbed to injuries at a hospital shortly after.
“This is a very sad day for Austin,” Police Chief Lisa Davis said during a press briefing. “My condolences go out to the families of the victims.”
Authorities say Nieneke fled the scene immediately after the shooting, allegedly hijacking a vehicle in the Target parking lot. One of the shooting victims is believed to have been the driver of that stolen car. Nieneke reportedly crashed the vehicle about 1.5 miles away in an apartment complex parking lot at MoPac and Anderson Lane.
From there, police say he hijacked another vehicle at a nearby Volkswagen dealership before fleeing toward South Austin.
The manhunt ended around 3:34 p.m. when officers located Nieneke in the 2400 block of La Casa Drive, where he was tased and taken into custody without further gunfire.
Police have not yet determined the motive behind the attack. “We don’t know if there was an altercation or what,” Chief Davis said. “At this point we’re reviewing video and other evidence.”
Target released a statement expressing grief and support for those impacted:
“We are devastated by the violence that occurred today at our store in Austin, Texas. Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, our team in Austin, and all those impacted by this tragedy. We are working with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation and are grateful to the first responders who acted quickly at the scene. In the days ahead, we will continue partnering with law enforcement and will be providing support resources, including grief counseling, to our team.”
The Austin Fire Department, Austin ISD Police, and EMS all assisted at the scene. One additional individual was treated for unrelated injuries.
Police closed the 8000 block of the MoPac southbound frontage road between Executive Center Drive and Anderson Lane during the investigation. Vehicles belonging to non-witness customers and staff will remain at the store until forensic teams finish processing the scene.
This remains an active investigation, and APD is urging anyone with information to contact the department’s Homicide Unit.
