Texas shooting spree: 6 dead, 2 officers injured in Austin and Bexar County
AUSTIN, Texas - Four people are dead, and two officers are injured after a shooting spree in Austin. Two others are dead in Bexar County. Investigators believe one man was responsible for it all.
Sources close to the investigation confirm the man arrested is 34-year-old Shane James. He's been charged with capital murder.
Shane James, 34, is in the Travis County Jail on a capital murder charge and an outstanding warrant for assault with injury, family violence. (Austin Police Department)
It started around 10:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5, when an Austin ISD police sergeant reported they had been shot in the leg in the parking lot of Nelson Field, across the street from Northeast Early College High School.
The school was placed on lockdown at 10:46 a.m. as police searched for the suspect. 15 law enforcement agencies responded to assist.
MORE: Austin ISD officer shot at Northeast ECHS; classes canceled for Dec. 6
Then, around 11:59 a.m., police received multiple 911 calls about a shooting in the 7300 block of Shadywood Drive, near South First and William Cannon.
A FOX 7 Austin source said the suspect saw a handyman sitting in his car in front of a home and shot the man through the passenger window. A woman inside the home where the handyman was working came outside to see what happened. The suspect then chased her down the road, caught up with her, and shot her.
The suspect then returned to the car the handyman was in, threw the man out of the car and stole it, a FOX 7 Austin source said.
Family identify the victim as 25-year-old Sabrina Rahman. The other victim was identified as a friend and handyman, 32-year-old Emmanuel. Photo: Sabrina & family (courtesy: Rahman family)
The handyman, 32-year-old Emmanual Pop Ba, and the woman, 24-year-old Sabrina Rahman, both died.
MORE: Man, woman killed in South Austin shooting: APD
Around 5:57 p.m., police say a 39-year-old male cyclist was shot in the 5700 block of West Slaughter Lane. His injuries were non-life-threatening.
Then, around 6:48 p.m., police got a call about a burglary in progress in the 5300 block of Austral Loop.
At 6:54 p.m., the initial responding officer saw the suspect in the backyard of the home, and the suspect opened fire. Police say the officer returned fire and the officer was shot multiple times. The suspect was not hit.
Police say the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle and, around 7:14 p.m., after a pursuit with officers, the suspect crashed at the intersection of South Highway 45 and FM 1826 and was taken into custody.
While the pursuit was happening, officers entered the home on Austral Loop and discovered two bodies inside.
MORE: APD officer injured in shooting in Southwest Austin; suspect in custody
Around 7:45 p.m., the Bexar County Sheriff's Department says it was informed that James had ties to a home, his residence, on Port Royal Street. When they arrived at the home, they found water coming out of the residence and decided to force their way in.
They found two bodies of James' parents, 55-year-old Phyllis James and 56-year-old Shane James, Sr. inside the home. Both victims suffered gunshot wounds to the upper body.
Deputies say they believe James killed the victims in Bexar County before his shooting spree in Austin. The Bexar County sheriff says the shooting happened between 10 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Tuesday.
In additional to the capital murder charge, James was also booked into the Travis County Jail on an outstanding warrant for assault with injury, family violence.
Police say further charges are pending.
Per APD protocol, the officer who discharged his firearm has been placed on administrative duty. He's been with the department for 12 years.
At this time, police say they do not know if any of the victims knew the suspect.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call APD Special Investigations Unit at (512) 974-6840 or submit a tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.