Austin mass shooting – At least 13 injured after shooting in downtown entertainment district & lone gunman still on run
A SHOOTING in downtown Austin, Texas left 13 people injured and two in critical condition. No one has died.
Gunfire erupted at about 1.30am on Saturday morning, creating chaos in the popular bar scene. The shooter is still at large.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear as police continue to search for a suspect, who may still be a threat to the public.
Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon said his officers responded “very quickly” to the incident at the 400 block of East Sixth Street.
“They were able to immediately begin life-saving measures for many of these patients, including applications of tourniquets; applications of chest seals and other types of first aid equipment,” Chacon said.
Chacon said the only description of a suspect is a black male with a skinny build, dreadlocks, and a black shirt.
Chacon added that the description is vague “based on the chaotic nature of the incident.”
All 13 people injured were transferred to area hospitals, where two are in critical condition.
Since the area was heavily crowded, Chacon said officers transported some patients to hospitals in police cruisers because it was difficult to get the injured into ambulances.
Sixth Street is a popular downtown bar scene that regularly sees heavy foot traffic – potentially tens of thousands of people on a given night.
At the time of the shooting, the street had been barricaded to keep car traffic out of the area in order to facilitate the many pedestrians.
“Security (on Sixth Street) is always pretty good down here because of the way that we cordon off the streets, block off the streets, using barricades and try to keep people safe that way,” Chacon said.
It is unclear how many shots were fired, although social media posts suggested it may have been 16 shots. Authorities say the shooter appears to have shot randomly.
“Officers initially located several victims who had sustained gunshot wounds and were injured,” and began treating them, authorities said.
Video shared by a local reporter showed the chaotic scene as officers administered first aid.
Detectives are working to sift through videos from bystanders and surveillance cameras to identify suspects.
Chacon said the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been notified, adding that there has been a recent increase in gun violence.
“But what we have seen in recent months and over the last year or so is an increase in gun violence,” Chacon said, “and so this is just emblematic of that, it continues, and it’s something we’re trying to work to decrease.”
Police are asking anyone with information on the shooter to contact local authorities at 512-472-8477.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler thanked first responders for their quick response and urged anyone with information on the shooter to report it.
“We are fortunate not to have any fatalities but remain concerned for the two individuals in critical condition,” he said. “We are now focused on catching the suspect.”
He went on to say the country is experiencing rising gun violence “as we exit the pandemic.”
“This crisis requires a broader, coordinated response from all levels of government,” Adler said. “One thing is clear – greater access to firearms does not equal greater public safety.”
The Texas governor is expected to sign a “constitutional carry” bill into law that allows people to carry handguns without having a license.
The law would go into effect on September 1, 2021. The state currently has some of the laxest gun laws.
Abbott released a statement on the shooting on Saturday morning, saying he and his wife are praying for the injured.
“The Texas Department of Public Safety is working closely with Austin Police to respond to this shooting and ensure that the perpetrators are captured and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Abbott said.
“Thank you to APD and first responders for quickly responding to the scene and saving lives. Cecilia and I ask our fellow Texans to join us in prayer for those who were injured,” he went on.
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Bystander Taylor Blount, 26, told the Austin American-Statesman that he locked himself in a bar as the “intense” shooting unfolded.
“I only heard them from a single weapon and then everyone started running in different directions,” Blount said. “People were freaking out a lot, and there were some people crying, but most people were just freaking out.
Blount said he watched as police dragged a man who had been shot in the ribs to safety and treated his wounds.