The gunman who opened fire outside of a Target in Texas, killing three people, has been identified as a violent career criminal.

Austin Police informed the Daily Mail on Monday night that Ethan Blaine Nieneker, 32, has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting that occurred earlier in the day.

He fled the scene in a vehicle he stole from the parking lot at the Target store on Research Boulevard but quickly crashed the stolen vehicle.

At that point, police say Nieneker stole another car from a nearby Volkswagen dealership.

But officers were soon able to catch up with him in South Austin, where they deployed a Taser to stop him, before taking him into custody.

Police Chief Lisa Davis noted that he has a history of mental illness and a prior criminal history.

Documents obtained by the Daily Mail reveal he has been arrested numerous times since 2011, including an incident 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.

Police have identified the gunman who opened fire outside of a Target store in Austin on Monday as 32 year old Ethan Blaine Nieneker

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

Nieneker allegedly fled from the Target to South Austin, where he was apprehended

It remains unclear what may have drove Nieneker to open fire outside of the store shortly after 2pm. 

Medics declared two of the victims dead at the scene. A third victim died from their injuries while being transported to a nearby hospital. Another victim sustained unrelated injuries and was treated at the scene.

All four victims have not yet been identified, as shoppers and employees at Target told how they had to run for cover.

‘I was inside the store, but then I heard over the radio like shots fired, so they just told us “active shooter…” so we just ran outside, we told guests to get out,’ Freyen Sagastume, an employee 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 recounted.

Austin police continued to investigate the deadly shooting Monday night

Those at the Target on Monday afternoon have told how they ran for cover

It remains unclear what may have drove Nieneker to open fire outside of the store shortly after 2pm

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has been informed of the shooting and is being kept abreast of developments. 

‘This is a devastating situation and my heart is with the victims and their families,’ he wrote on X.

‘While this remains an active and ongoing investigation, what I’ll say is that this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence,’ the mayor continued, adding that he is ‘grateful for the swift response of our APD officers and other first responders and want to thank them for their actions to apprehend the suspect.’

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 and will be updated.