Six killed, 3 hurt in string of attacks in Texas shootings

 

Police investigate at the scene of a shooting in Southwest Austin on Dec 6, 2023. — CNBC

Six people lost their lives and three were injured in a series of violent incidents across two Texas communities. The chaos unfolded on Tuesday, leading to a suspect's arrest on charges of capital murder.

The first sign of trouble emerged when an officer from the Austin Independent School District police force was shot in the leg around 10:43 a.m. local time. Despite this, the officer is expected to recover soon.

Shortly after this incident, multiple calls reported a double homicide in Austin involving a man and a woman. Then, a male cyclist faced gunfire but thankfully survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

The situation escalated when the suspect engaged in a shootout with an officer responding to a burglary call at 6:54 pm. The officer sustained multiple gunshot wounds but is currently in stable condition.

The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle but was apprehended after crashing. Upon further investigation, two more victims were discovered inside a residence with fatal injuries. The suspect's connection to these victims remains under scrutiny.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar highlighted a potential link between the suspect and two more deaths near San Antonio. Officers discovered two individuals in their 50s with fatal injuries at a residence. The investigation is ongoing to determine the nature of their relationship with the suspect.

The suspect, identified as Shane James Jr., previously served as an Army Infantry Officer and faced assault charges in January 2022 related to a family member. Governor Greg Abbott condemned the violence, pledging full state resources to ensure justice for the victims.