Two teenagers arrested after Austin shooting spree leaves four injured
Austin Police Chief said a third suspect remains at large and is believed to be near the suburb of Manor
Authorities in Texas have taken two of three suspects into custody following a series of shootings across Austin over the weekend, leaving four people injured across as many as 10 separate attacks.
Press conference and arrests
Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis announced during a press conference on Sunday, that two suspects had been arrested whilst the search for a third continues.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson confirmed the shootings took place across Saturday and Sunday, with two incidents targeting Austin Fire Department stations.
Watson described the crimes as appearing to be "random." One victim sustained serious injuries whilst three others suffered minor wounds.
The suspects
The two individuals taken into custody were identified as a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, per KXAN. The elder had an outstanding warrant for gun theft, whilst the younger faces accusations of stealing a firearm from the same location on Saturday.
Both are also accused of stealing four vehicles over the course of the incident. A third suspect remains at large, believed to be near the Austin suburb of Manor.
How the shootings unfolded
The first incident occurred at approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday on the 6700 block of Wentworth Drive in East Austin, when a suspect fired towards Fire Station 26.
On Sunday morning, a male victim was shot near the junction of Janes Ranch Road and Ballydawn Drive in South-East Austin; he remains in a serious but stable condition.
A further attack targeted Fire Station 32 on the 2800 block of Montebello Road at around 10:50 a.m. on Sunday.
The AFD confirmed to KVUE that no firefighters were hurt and that operations remain fully unaffected. Austin Firefighters Association president David Girouard said: "While our station doors are locked, our crews remain in full force responding to every call to serve our city and respond to our community without hesitation."
Shelter-in-place orders and safety advice
Following the two arrests, a shelter-in-place order in South Austin was lifted. However, the Manor Police Department subsequently issued its own order for parts of the city, and the Travis County Sheriff's Office asked residents to remain indoors while further law enforcement activity was conducted.
Chief Davis urged Austin residents to keep their vehicles locked, noting that car theft had featured prominently throughout the shooting spree.
Appeal for information
The Austin Police Department has asked anyone with relevant information to contact police at 512-974-5177, or to reach Crime Stoppers anonymously at 512-472-8477 or via austincrimestoppers.org. A reward of up to $1,000 is available for information leading to an arrest.
