Crime
3 killed, multiple injured after shooting at Target in Austin
AUSTIN, Texas — Three people were killed and several others injured, including a child, after a gunman opened fire in the parking lot of a Target store in North Austin on Monday afternoon.
The suspect, a 32-year-old white male wearing a Hawaiian-style shirt, is now in police custody.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), the shooting occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. in the Target parking lot located on Research Boulevard.
Witnesses reported the suspect firing multiple rounds at shoppers before carjacking a vehicle at the scene. One of the victims is believed to have been the owner of that vehicle.
After fleeing the scene, the suspect crashed the stolen car and proceeded to hijack a second vehicle from a Volkswagen dealership.
He then led officers on a pursuit through Austin, ultimately being located and apprehended on La Costa Drive, approximately 18 miles south of the shooting site.
APD Chief Lisa Davis confirmed the suspect was subdued with a Taser before being taken into custody without further incident.
Chief Davis stated that all three fatalities occurred at the Target parking lot.
In total, four individuals were injured, including a child, and three victims succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
The identities of the deceased have not yet been released.
Authorities say the suspect has a criminal history in Texas and is known to have a mental health history.
A motive for the attack remains under investigation.
The incident prompted extensive road closures in the area, including the 8000 block of the MoPac southbound frontage between Executive Center Drive and Anderson Lane.
While main lanes of MoPac remained open, police urged the public to avoid the area during the active investigation.
Due to the ongoing crime scene, APD advised that vehicles parked at the Target will remain secured until investigators have completed their initial work.
Officials are expected to release further updates as the investigation progresses.
Crime
Noemi Hernandez, Mother of Four Murdered By Her Husband Hector Luvianos Two Days Before Christmas
BATAVIA, Ill. — A devastating domestic homicide has left a family and community in mourning just days before Christmas.
Noemi Hernandez, a devoted mother of four, was fatally attacked in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 23, in what prosecutors allege was a violent act committed by her husband.
The incident occurred at an apartment building in the 100 block of Church Street in Batavia.
According to court records and police reports, at approximately 4:37 a.m., Batavia police were dispatched after a man contacted emergency dispatchers and stated that he had killed his wife.
Responding officers located the man outside the apartment building and took him into custody without incident.
When officers entered the apartment, they found Hernandez suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries.
First responders immediately attempted life-saving measures; however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hector B. Luvianos, 37, who was transported to the Batavia Police Department for questioning.
With assistance from the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, investigators determined the incident was domestic-related and involved only the two individuals. Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
On Dec. 24, 2025, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers announced that Luvianos has been formally charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony under Illinois law.
He appeared in court the same day for a pretrial detention hearing, after which a judge ordered him held in the Kane County Jail while the case proceeds.
The Kane County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene, and an autopsy is scheduled to determine the official cause and manner of Hernandez’s death.
In the wake of the tragedy, Hernandez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral and related expenses.
In the fundraiser, the family described Noemi as “the heart of her family,” noting that she worked tirelessly, loved deeply, and always placed her children first. Her sudden death, they wrote, has left the family emotionally devastated and financially unprepared.
As an immigrant family with limited resources and no life insurance, they now face the burden of funeral and cremation costs, legal fees, and other unexpected expenses, all while supporting four children grieving the loss of their mother.
The family is asking for community support to allow them to lay Noemi to rest with dignity and focus on healing rather than financial hardship.
The investigation remains ongoing.