The disturbed individual who allegedly opened fire in a Texas Target parking lot claimed to be Jesus and randomly targeted his three victims, identified Tuesday as a cart collector, a grandfather, and his 4-year-old granddaughter.
Ethan Nieneker, 32, went on the deadly rampage Monday afternoon in Austin, using a gun acquired from a family member to fatally shoot Target employee Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24, Adam Chow, 66, and Chow’s young granddaughter, the Austin Police Department announced Tuesday.
“He said that he was Jesus and there was no real reason whatsoever given,” Austin Homicide Detective Nathan Sexton stated regarding the accused mentally ill gunman’s violent spree.
âIt was a completely random choosing of the victims.â
Police reported that the fatal chaos commenced around 2:15 p.m. Monday when Nieneker — who has a long record with the department — stormed the retail lot just north of Austin wearing a Hawaiian shirt, randomly targeting Machuca as the employee collected shopping carts.
The frenzied assailant then fired at a Jeep attempting to flee the gunfire before approaching a gray Toyota 4-Runner, where he fatally shot Chow, who was in the driver’s seat, and Chow’s granddaughter in the backseat.
The family members were both pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The Target employee was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Chowâs wife was also injured in the heinous attack before Nieneker stole their car and fled at high speed from the store.
Nieneker later crashed the Toyota into a Volkswagen before stopping on top of an Infiniti SUV. He then assaulted the Volkswagen driver, hijacked the vehicle, and drove off, according to police.
He was eventually taken down with a Taser about 20 miles away in the cityâ south end after throwing a brick through a friendâs house and wandering naked through a backyard, all of which was captured on video surveillance.
