Ethan Nieneker faces a slew of charges, including capital murder, after a deadly crime spree that started an a North Austin Target.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man is accused of going on a rampage at a North Austin Target after he shot and killed three people including a 4-year-old.
The Austin Police Dept. (APD) said the shooter is Ethan Nieneker. He is currently in the Travis County Jail facing two capital murder charges and one felony charge for the shooting. APD officials added there are pending charges, including assault, vehicle thefts and property damage.
Leah Ivory said when she woke Tuesday morning up to discover Nieneker was the cause of such carnage, she wanted to throw up.
Ivory knew the shooter since kindergarten, and throughout middle school and high school before they lost touch and recently reconnected.
The last time Ivory saw Nieneker was over a month ago.
Ivory described Nieneker as a “wild kid” in high school where this sort of act may have been “believable,” but she acknowledged the 32-year-old had a history of mental health issues.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis touched on this fact noting Nieneker had two mental health reports in 2018, though he was not committed.
He also had lengthy criminal history.
“I truly hope that the people who were affected do get some kind of peace, some kind of answer,” said Ivory, “It’s tough when it is, what I think truly is a mental health crisis, because what what can you do? Especially again, when people seem like they’re doing okay, what else can we do to avoid this in the future?”
According to Ivory, Nieneker was getting sober and appeared to be doing better. That appeared not to be the case as APD sergeant Nathan Sexton detailed the 32-year-old’s journey from the north Austin Target Monday afternoon where he proceeded to carjack multiple people and ended up naked and bloodied in a South Austin neighborhood stating that he was Jesus.
“To find someone later in life, and it seems like there ultimately just doing so much better, and then this – it’s just total shock,” said Ivory. “There’s no way to justify it.”
What neighbors witnessed
Savannah Halley and Zach Levet heard the news of the shooting, but were startled to see what they described as roughly 30 police units down her block on La Casa Drive.
The two captured cellphone video of law enforcement officials chasing down Nieneker where APD confirmed they used a Taser and arrested him.
It also shows the area riddled with police vehicles and a chopper overhead.
Davis credits 911 calls, surveillance videos and the helicopter in tracking Nieneker down.
It’s unclear whether he was under the influence.
“It’s pretty crazy that it all ended here, but luckily he’s apprehended,” said Levet.
No one was reported hurt in the neighborhood during the takedown.
APD said the department will be taking a deep dive into Nieneker’s background and why there was no follow up after reported incidents with him.
“This man had some serious issues, and I think about the systems that failed,” said Davis. “In a way, as we move forward, we’re looking at this background again; this is going to be things that are going to be coming up in the months, in the years ahead.”