Austin faces wave of violence, several shootings leave two dead, two injured

AUSTIN, Texas - The City of Austin experienced a wave of violence Friday night, and Saturday morning.

Several shootings left two people dead, and two others in the hospital, fighting for their lives. “I heard gunshots… I heard about four.” said Karla De La Rosa, “when I heard that, I just ran to the floor and told my mom, my dad and my kids, you know?” 

De La Rosa, is one of a number of Austinites impacted by the violence. A young man was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Mueller City View Apartment Complex off of Reinli Street around 9:50 a.m. Saturday morning. 

“That’s a very scary feeling to have something like that happen when you have your children in your home,” she said. 

Police say the young man was in his twenties. They took three people into custody after the shooting, two of them were classified as witnesses. “Amen! That’s good as long as they’re getting justice.” De La Rosa proclaimed. 

The young man is the city’s third homicide victim of 2020. Police say Austin’s second homicide took place just hours earlier, on Friday night. 

Three people were shot in separate incidents and all taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. One of them died, however, police are not releasing any information until their family is notified. 

The first shooting took place around 7:30 Friday night. A man was shot on Wynne Lane, near Reno Drive.

Just a few hours later, around 11:45 p.m. a woman was shot on Airport Boulevard near Harvey Street.

Around midnight, two men, or teens brought another man, or teen as their ages remain unclear, to Dell Children’s Hospital. He had been shot and was in critical condition. Police say the two left without providing any information, so they are looking to speak with them. 

“Austin Police Department’s had a strenuous 24 hours. We're working diligently to keep the city safe still,”  said Officer Katrina Ratcliff.

Austin had zero homicides in the first two weeks of 2016 - 2019.  In 2015, the city had one. 

2020 has three homicides so far.