8 homicides in Austin in first four weeks of 2022, 6 this weekend

Eight homicides in first four weeks of 2022, six this weekend

In 2021 there were a record 89 homicides in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police say there have been eight homicides in the first four weeks of 2022, six happening this weekend. In 2021 there were a record 89 homicides in Austin.

Around 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, 33-year-old Michael O’Brien was stabbed to death in the north alleyway of the 400 block of East Sixth Street. Homicide detectives say O’Brien was stabbed during a fight. Adding "several witnesses saw a white man wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and red baseball cap flee the scene."

The city has been working to improve safety in the nightlife district after a June mass shooting killed one and injured thirteen.

"A lot of those areas are very dark. The alleys are very dark. So just providing light back there would be a big deterrent to crime, in my opinion." said Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday.

Just before noon on Saturday, police say 31-year-old Yong Yoon Kim got into a fight with Nathan Limoge and Christopher Rivers, both 28 in the parking lot of a North Austin apartment complex off of Burnet Road and West Anderson Lane.

He told police he shot the men in self-defense. However, "multiple witnesses on scene gave contrary accounts of the shooting." Kim was charged with capital murder.

2 shot, killed in parking lot in North Austin, says APD

Two people were shot and killed Saturday morning in a North Austin parking lot. The suspect is currently in custody, according to APD.

"I'm still totally in shock." said Tariq O’Neal.

O’Neal was friends with Limoge. He lives steps away from where the shooting occurred. O’Neal told FOX 7 Austin Limoge, a Lyft driver, was working on his car that had broken down in the complex’s parking lot. "And there he was, this close from getting it started and then this tragic thing happened," he said.

Sunday, a man was also shot and killed near the Ojos Locos Sports Cantina on the 7500 block of I-35 in North Austin. On Monday there was little public information on the weekend's two other homicides.

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MORE HEADLINES:
East Austin homicide victim identified, police search for suspect
North Austin shooting leaves 1 person dead, 1 critically injured
2 shot and killed in North Austin parking lot, suspect arrested

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