2 dead following separate shootings in downtown and East Austin; suspect arrested

AUSTIN, Texas - Two separate deadly shootings happened in broad daylight in Austin within minutes of each other on Thursday.

One happened downtown at 6th Street and Neches. The other was in East Austin at 12th and Webberville.

On Friday, police said they believe 51-year-old Eric Rollins is responsible for the two homicides that happened minutes apart.

He has been charged in the deadly shooting on E. 6th Street, and police said he is suspected of shooting and killing a woman in Webberville.

Downtown, witness Duncan Moore was sitting on the balcony of a hotel across the street.

"I heard six shots ring out, they were really loud, they were sort of irregular, but it was definitely six," he said. "Some people ran out of the alley and kind of dispersed down the street, then there was a lot of hooting and hollering and people coming out and arms waving, running around and stuff."

Shortly after, first responders showed up.

"They found a victim who had apparent trauma, obvious trauma to the body and was later pronounced deceased at the scene," Cpl. Jermaine Kilgore with Austin Police Department said.

Police have not identified the suspect yet.

Those in the area say there was a lot of uncertainty.

"It concerned me a lot, I was almost afraid to stand up and look over the edge of the balcony, because I thought it this was an active shooter situation, there could be ricochets, there could be bullets flying around," Moore said.

"It hits different when you're so near to it. It's kind of numbing a little bit, but it also makes me want to be more aware of what's going on," Daniel Ortiz, who works in the area, said.

The call for that shooting came in at 12:54 p.m. and at 12:44 p.m. another one came in from East Austin.

A female victim was shot.

"[Responding officers] got information from witnesses and people that were there that a female victim had been transported, not by EMS but by a friend or acquaintance or something like that," Kilgore said.

She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police have not identified a suspect in this case either.

In both cases, officers say there is no threat to the public.

Meanwhile downtown, Moore, who's from Chicago, was going to a conference where gun violence was one of the topics. 

"I thought leaving Chicago, I'm escaping it for five minutes, but no it's everywhere," Moore said.

If you know anything about either of these cases, you're asked to call police.