Austin, Texas, Aug 12 (HS) : A devastating shooting outside a Target store in Austin, Texas, on Monday afternoon claimed the lives of three people, including a child, and left one other person with minor injuries. The Austin Police swiftly apprehended the suspect following a dramatic chase after the attack.

Police Chief Lisa Davis reported that officers received reports of the shooting around 2:15 PM local time and responded immediately. Upon arrival, they discovered three victims severely wounded in the store’s parking lot. Two adults and one child were declared dead onsite and later at the hospital. The injured adult was rushed to medical care but succumbed to their injuries shortly after.

The suspect, described as approximately 32 years old, fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. During the escape, he crashed and commandeered a second car in a bid to evade police. Following a pursuit, law enforcement successfully captured him. The motive behind the violent spree is under investigation, though authorities indicated the suspect is currently suffering from mental health issues.

Chief Davis conveyed the gravity of the tragedy, stating, “It is a deeply sorrowful day for Austin.”

This incident follows recent high-profile shootings in the U.S., including one three days ago at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Atlanta headquarters that resulted in the death of a police officer before the perpetrator took his own life. Last month, a gunman in Midtown Manhattan fatally shot four people inside an office building.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families on social media platform X, condemning the act as “a heinous and cowardly act of gun violence” and emphasizing solidarity with those affected by yet another senseless tragedy.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances and the suspect’s motive, while the community mourns yet another loss in America’s ongoing battle with gun violence.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar