Austin Police Seek Suspect in 3 Austin Shootings
austin police are searching for a suspect linked to three shootings in east, southeast and southwest Austin between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Investigators said the incidents are being handled together as a series, and they asked residents to avoid approaching the suspect or his vehicle.
The first shooting happened at around 9 p.m. Saturday night in the 6700 block of Wentworth Drive in east Austin, where police said the suspect fired toward Fire Station 26. A second shooting followed at around 8 a.m. Sunday morning near Janes Ranch Road and Ballydawn Drive in southeast Austin.
Wentworth Drive And Janes Ranch Road
In that second shooting, police said a male victim was shot one time and taken to a south Austin hospital, where he remained in serious but stable condition. Austin police said the three incidents share a similar modus operandi, which is why they are being investigated together rather than as separate cases.
Police also said the shootings appear to be random, though the suspect appears to be targeting fire stations. That combination leaves residents with a specific caution: if they see anything suspicious, they should call 911 immediately and avoid contact.
Montebello Road In Southwest Austin
The third shooting happened at around 10:50 a.m. Sunday morning in the 2800 block of Montebello Road in southwest Austin near Rollingwood. Austin police said the suspect fired toward Fire Station 32 there, extending the same pattern seen in the earlier shootings.
Police described the suspect as a white or Hispanic male in his late teens and said he may be driving a white KIA Optima. Anyone with information is asked to contact APD's Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5177 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers online or at 512-472-8477.
APD Tip Lines
A reward of up to $1,000 is available for information leading to an arrest. For people in east, southeast and southwest Austin, the immediate step is simple: stay alert, keep distance from the suspect or the vehicle, and report a sighting without trying to intervene.
