3 in custody following weekend crime spree of 12 shootings, multiple car thefts in Austin

Three people are in police custody in connection with 12 shootings and multiple car thefts across Austin this weekend.

One shooting victim sustained serious injuries and three others have minor injuries, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Sunday.

A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old with stolen guns were taken into custody following a car chase in Manor, Davis said, while a third suspect who had also fled the scene remained at large into the evening. The Manor Police Department announced late Sunday that the third suspect had been detained.

The two teenage suspects have not been identified but will be placed in juvenile detention, Davis said. Police were not sure how the third person was involved in the string of shootings.

Several areas in Manor were under a shelter-in-place notice for several hours before authorities lifted it just before 8 p.m. Sunday. Manor police said they were ending an exhaustive search that involved nearly 200 officers, including canine, SWAT, helicopter and drone support.

Davis said the first call came from a person around 4 p.m. Saturday who reported their vehicle stolen from an Austin apartment complex. Not long after, another call came in about a stolen gun.

She said that over several hours, around 20 calls came in for shootings, primarily in South and Southeast Austin, including at two fire stations.

After a lull, the shooting spree continued Sunday. The suspects appeared to be using multiple stolen vehicles.

A shelter-in-place alert that went out just before 3:30 p.m. Sunday covered an area of South Austin bordered by Slaughter Lane, McKinney Falls Parkway, Ben White Boulevard and Escarpment Boulevard.

The incident ended with a car chase involving Manor police and several other law enforcement agencies around 5 p.m.

Davis said when authorities in Manor stopped the vehicle, three suspects ran from the car. All three are said to be male and in their late teens.

The shootings appear to be random, Davis said.

“I don’t know what a motive is,” she said. “I don’t know what motive would drive anybody to come and drive around senselessly in this city — in multiple parts of this city — shooting.”

Davis said the 17-year-old has a warrant out for his arrest for a gun he stole and that the 15-year-old stole a gun from the same store on Saturday.

"This is a serious situation, and we will let the justice system at this point take over," Davis said.

She expects to learn more in the coming days and said police are still seeking information.

Anyone with information should contact the Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5177 or submit tips anonymously through austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.