Texas shooting spree: Residents question emergency alert protocols

Shooting spree: Doubt over emergency protocol

We continue to learn more about the timeline of last week's shooting spree that left six people dead between Austin and San Antonio. There's something that keeps coming up: why were residents not notified there was a shooter on the run in their area?

AUSTIN, Texas - Over the course of eight hours and a span of roughly 20 miles, seven people were shot on Wednesday in Austin. Four people were killed.

The shooting spree started Wednesday morning when a school police officer was shot at Northeast Early College High School by a man who then fled the scene. However, neighbors did not know what was going on.

"No notifications, all we saw was police in front of our house and wondered what was going on," said a resident FOX 7 spoke to. "If they could maybe notify us, at least tell one police officer, if you have that many in the area, at least knock on the door and just say, ‘Hey, we have some problem or whatever in the area, we would like you to stay inside."

Other residents of affected neighborhoods that FOX 7 spoke to previously had similar responses.

"Why didn't phones ring? Why didn't an emergency text go out? Something to everyone," said Rebecca Lusk. "Live shooter in Circle C neighborhood. Everybody stay in your homes."

APD to give update on deadly shooting spree

FULL VIDEO: The Austin Police Department gave an update on the deadly shooting spree that took place on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

It’s something APD addressed at a press conference on Tuesday.

"During the investigation, there were multiple theories that this was potentially targeted, that the first victim was targeted, and that these were not random attacks which would have led the investigation in a different way," said Sgt. Nathan Sexton.

There are a few ways Central Texans can be notified en masse.

Warn Central Texas is used for sending emergency notifications that are often weather-related.

Texas shooting spree: Tragic new details

We've learned new details in the deadly shooting spree that killed six people in Austin and San Antonio, including that a husband and father watched the suspect break in to his home on a surveillance camera before his wife and daughter were killed.

The Texas Department of Public Safety can also issue a variety of alerts.

A Blue Alert is issued when a law enforcement officer is shot, but DPS does require a piece of criteria that APD did not initially have - a vehicle description. The goal is to engage the public in helping find the perpetrator.

"They're not designed just to put out to say, ‘Hey guys, this is what happened,’" said Wayne Vincent, a retired APD police officer and former Austin Police Association president.

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Since 2021, DPS also has had an Active Shooter Alert system in place.

"Based on the requirements of that law, the thresholds were not met in order to institute that type of alert," said Interim APD Chief Robin Henderson on Tuesday. "At the time of the initial incident, there was no indication that there was an ongoing threat to the public."

Vincent said issuing alerts every time there is a shooting would essentially do more harm than good.

"There are more violent crimes than most people realize that the police respond to every day," said Vincent. "We have to start with the concept that no one is more invested in making it safe and taking the suspect off the street than the police. So when decisions are made, they're made from the best intentions. I will say that in all my experiences, a major incident like this is going to invoke a huge debrief by everybody involved in which they'll hash out what the decisions were. Were they right decisions or in hindsight, should we have put out more information?"

Austin Crime and Public Safety