Austin Target shooting leaves three dead, including a child — who is behind it?

A tragic afternoon unfolded in Austin, Texas, when gunfire erupted in the parking lot of a Target store, leaving three people dead — among them a child.

According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, officers were dispatched at around 2:15 p.m. and arrived within minutes. At the scene, two victims were found deceased, while a third was rushed to the hospital but later died. A fourth person sustained injuries unrelated to gunfire.

Captain Shannon Koesterer of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services confirmed the victims included one child and two adults. Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack.

Chief Davis revealed that the suspect, who has both a criminal and mental health history, fled the scene by stealing a vehicle, crashing it, and then hijacking a Volkswagen from a nearby dealership. The individual was apprehended in south Austin after officers deployed a taser.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson condemned the incident as “a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence” and expressed sympathy for the victims’ families.

A spokesperson for Target said the company is “devastated by the violence” and is working closely with investigators. The parking lot remains an active crime scene, and police have advised vehicle owners to seek alternative transportation.