The individual accused of opening fire outside a Target in Texas, resulting in the deaths of three people, has been shown for the first time in a mugshot with visible injuries.
Austin authorities confirmed to the Daily Mail on Monday evening that Ethan Blaine Nieneker, 32, has been apprehended in relation to the deadly incident that took place earlier that day.
The department released his booking photograph on Tuesday, showing him staring straight at the camera with several fresh cuts on his face.
During a Monday press briefing, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis revealed that following the shooting, Nieneker reportedly stole two cars and crashed the first one while trying to escape law enforcement.
Nieneker was described as white and wearing a Hawaiian shirt at the time of the shooting.
He is accused of opening fire at shoppers at the Target store on Research Boulevard in northern Austin, Texas, shortly after 2pm.
Police said they received calls about the shooting 15 minutes later and rushed to the scene within four minutes.
Officers discovered three people suffering from gunshot wounds in the store’s parking area. Medics declared two victims dead at the scene, while the third succumbed to injuries while being taken to the hospital.
A photograph shows Ethan Blaine Nieneker, the suspect in the Target shooting in Texas that claimed three lives, appearing injured in his booking photo.
Police say Nieneker fled the scene in a stolen vehicle, which he then crashed
Nieneker allegedly fled from the Target to South Austin, where he was apprehended
The shooter fled using a vehicle taken from the Target parking lot, which police suspect was owned by one of the victims involved in the incident.
Davis said he ‘wrecked’ the car and leapt into another vehicle from a Volkswagen dealership nearby, and continued leading police on a chase.
Cops pursued the shooter for 18 miles through the heart of Austin. They caught him in the south of the city where they deployed a taser before taking him into custody.
Police Chief Davis told reporters on Monday evening that Nieneker has a history of mental illness and a prior criminal history.
Records obtained by the Daily Mail show he has been arrested numerous times since 2011, including an apprehension in August 2015 for assaulting a family member.
Nieneker was also previously arrested for driving while intoxicated twice, criminal mischief and a violation of a bond or protective order.
A suspected motive for the shootings and the names and ages of the victims have not yet been disclosed.
Police say Nieneker fled the scene in a stolen vehicle, which he then crashed
Authorities pronounced two people dead at the scene of the shooting, while a third succumbed to their injuries en route to a local hospital
Shoppers and employees at Target said they ran for cover when they heard gunshots ring out in the parking lot.
‘I was inside the store, but then I hear on the radio like shots fired, so then they just told us “active shooter…” so we just ran outside, we told guests to get out,’ Target employee Freyen Sagastume told KXAN.
‘I thought that this only happened like in the news and stuff and then like I kind of just froze at first, but then I saw everyone running.’
Meanwhile, at the nearby Jiffy Lube, employees hunkered down and locked the store’s doors when they became aware there was a shooting outside.
One mechanic, Paul Smith, told Spectrum Local News he saw people running from their cars in the parking lot in a panic.
‘I had just gotten back from the Target like a minute before,’ he said.
A spokesperson for Target also said it will be providing counseling to staff members who experienced the shooting.
‘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,’ the spokesperson said.
‘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.’
This is a breaking news story with updates to follow.
