Austin police have released the names of the three victims of the deadly shooting at Target off Research Boulevard.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department (APD) has identified the victims killed in a Target parking lot at 8601 Research Blvd., near Ohlen Road, on Monday.
The victims are 24-year-old Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 65-year-old Adam Chow and Chow’s 4-year-old granddaughter. Martinez Machuca, a Target employee, died at a hospital, while both Chow and his granddaughter were pronounced dead at the Target. Chow’s wife also sustained minor injuries.
The man accused of killing the three victims, 32-year-old Ethan Nieneker, was arrested Monday in South Austin. He is accused of shooting and killing the victims before fleeing the area, assaulting two other people and destroying multiple vehicles before his capture.
Nieneker faces charges of Capital Murder by Terror Threat, Capital Murder of a Person Under 10 Years of Age and First-Degree Murder, according to Travis County Jail records.
Court records show he has a lengthy criminal history, and APD Chief Lisa Davis said he has a history of mental health issues.
What happened at the Target and after Nieneker left?
At approximately 2:15 p.m., calls came into APD about multiple shootings at the Target off Research Boulevard, near Ohlen Road. APD Chief Davis said officers arrived on the scene shortly after.
When officers arrived, they found Martinez Machuca in the parking lot. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:01 p.m. Officers also located Chow, his wife and their 4-year-old granddaughter. Both Chow and his granddaughter were pronounced dead at the scene, at 2:39 p.m. and 2:50 p.m., respectively, while Chow’s wife sustained minor injuries.
APD said its investigation has revealed that Nieneker “randomly attacked” Martinez Machuca, a Target employee, in the parking lot, shooting and killing him as he was collecting shopping carts. Nieneker then ran to a black Jeep Cherokee and began firing as the Jeep tried to avoid the gunfire.
Police say Nieneker then ran up to a gray Toyota 4-Runner, where he shot Chow as he sat in the driver seat, before firing into the backseat and striking the 4-year-old. Chow’s wife carried their granddaughter from the car, and Nieneker allegedly pushed her from the vehicle before driving the Toyota out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed.
At around 2:20 p.m., police say Nieneker found a water truck parked along the 7800 block of Mopac. He opened the driver’s door and “repeatedly assaulted” the driver before pushing him out of the truck. Police say Nieneker then tried to put the truck into drive but couldn’t, so he jumped out and chased a man with a pistol in his hand before running back to the Toyota 4-Runner and driving off.
Roughly five minutes later, APD received a call of a multi-vehicle crash after the 4-Runner crashed into a Volkswagen and landed on top of an Infiniti SUV. Nieneker allegedly got out of the Toyota, went over to the Volkswagen, opened the door and “repeatedly assaulted” the driver. He then pushed her out of the Volkswagen and drove off.
APD said at 2:34 p.m., a suspect matching Nieneker’s description got out of the Volkswagen and went up to a Waymo, attempting to break into it. He was unsuccessful, and police say he got back in the Volkswagen and drove off.
Three minutes later, a person who said they knew Nieneker through Bible study told police that Nieneker had threw a brick through his residence on La Casa Drive in South Austin.
Just before 3 p.m., APD received a call of a naked man walking through a backyard in the same area as the acquaintance’s home. Police said Nieneker was seen running into a portable toilet before leaving on foot.
Officers found Nieneker walking naked on Montclaire Street. Officers issued commands and when Nieneker didn’t comply, he was Tased and taken into custody at 3:06 p.m.
Officers checked the area and found that the matching suspect clothing previously captured on surveillance video was found inside the portable toilet.
Police said Nieneker “conducted these violent offenses,” including the deadly shootings and destruction of multiple vehicles, in the span of less than an hour.
At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, police said that Nieneker “said that he was Jesus” and confirmed that Nieneker was found by police naked and holding a Bible.
His clothing was found in a nearby portable toilet, according to APD.