Texas shooting spree: Young mother and handyman named among six victims in Austin

Chief Henderson provided a timeline, saying an Austin Independent School District police officer was shot and injured at about 10.45am Tuesday.

Then about noon, a man and a woman were found dead in a home. Another shooting happened shortly before 5pm when a male cyclist suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Police responding around 7 p.m. to a call of a burglary in progress at another home later found two people dead there.

Henderson didn’t say how the four people died.

During the last call, an Austin police officer saw a man in the back yard. The man shot at the officer and the officer returned fire, Henderson said. The officer suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital. The officer was listed in stable condition.

Police said the man, who was not hit, drove away and police pursued him. He crashed at about 7.15pm at a highway intersection and was taken into custody.

The man had a gun, Henderson said.

A suspect has been named in a series of apparent murders and shootings that left six people dead and three others injured across two major Texas cities.

Shane James, 34, is facing capital murder charges, police said.

He was linked to the deaths of four people on Tuesday in Austin, where two police officers and a cyclist were shot and injured. Authorities said during a press conference before Mr James was identified that the suspect had an outstanding assault and family violence warrant.

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After it emerged on Wednesday that the suspect in the shooting spree that left six people dead was bonded out of jail by The Texas Organizing Project, the organization issued a statement addressing the $300 that was posted on James’ behalf

“Texas Organizing Project (TOP) is profoundly saddened and deeply troubled by the recent tragic events involving Shane James,” the statement to KSAT read. “We condemn his most recent egregious acts, full stop. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time.”

The organization, which works for bail reform, said it was aware of “the broader implications” that the murders on Tuesday had for its bail program.

An eight-hour rampage in Texas at different crime scenes in the cities of San Antonio and Austin has left six people dead, including the suspect’s parents.

The Austin Police Department identified the suspect in the attacks as 34-year-old Shane James, who has a history of mental health illness and was previously arrested for attacking several family members. James, who is currently in custody, now faces charges of capital murders in connection with the daylong violence on Tuesday.

The dead were found in several homes miles from each other and authorities have yet to provide a motive in the killings.

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In Bexar County, about 80 miles south from Austin, Sheriff Javier Salazar said his agency got a call from Austin police at about 7.45pm about a shooting.

He said the man they had in custody had links to a residence east of San Antonio, where two officers were sent.

“I believe they saw water coming out of the residence, appearing as if something was leaking inside,” Sheriff Salazar said.

Mr James’ parents Phyllis James, 55, and Shane Matthew James Sr, 56, were found dead in the house.

Mr Salazar said that the San Antonio crime scene was “grisly” but did not elaborate on how the victims were killed.

“Nobody deserves to die the way we believe that they died,” the sheriff said. “This is a very quiet family. The gentleman that lives in the home, he’s very involved in the community, in the neighbourhood watch.”

Sheriff Salazar said it’s believed the deaths in the home happened sometime between 10pm on Monday, when a sibling of Mr James last spoke with their parents, and 9am on Tuesday, when a neighbour noticed James’ vehicle was not in the driveway.

Sheriff Salazar has asked neighbours to check their doorbell cameras to help authorities establish a more clear timeline.

Sergeant Val Barnes, who has been with the district’s police force for nearly 30 decades, is expected to recover.

Sgt Barnes was shot in the leg at around 10.40am on Tuesday near Northeast Early College High School.

He has already been released from the hospital.

“We’re grateful that Sergeant Val Barnes is now recovering at home,” Interim Superintendent Matias Segura in a statement to The Austin-American Stateman. “His swift response was key in keeping our campuses safe.”

During a briefing on Thursday, Ms Pierre said that President Biden has ordered the newly established office of gun violence prevention to monitor the situation in Las Vegas, where a gunman killed three people yesterday before he was fatally shot by police.

“I also want to note that less than 24 hours ago I stood at this same podium as we mourn the six lives lost in San Antonio. And here we are again today. When the President talks about ending the epidemic of gun violence. This is what he’s talking about,” Ms Pierre said.

“From Las Vegas, to Texas to Memphis to Maine. When will be When will it be enough? When will it be enough? We have faces and we cannot continue to live like this.

“As the President said, Republican lawmakers must join Democrats in Congress to advance common-sense measures to protect Americans from gun violence. Literally, every day, every day we wait, becomes another day too late.”